White Rainbow Knight
by Triplesquidge
Summary: Her life was a solid yet lonely one. A simple introduction followed by a chance encounter throws her life forward. Her happiness sprouts easily as her life starts to fill up with people. A friend is all she needs to go on.
1. A Simple Answer

**Brief Message to start this story off. There will be a picture for this story outside of my profile one.  
It will come in accordance with a certain chapter for emphasis.**

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To live alone is one of those things that practically all teenagers want. We want to be treated maturely as that's how we feel. Not all the teenagers that live alone does so because they want to, some either have to or are just alone as it is. To put them in categories it would be either no parents at all or a single parent who works long hours just to get by. I find myself being put under the category for no parents at all, i'd be in a sub-category of that one. No family left at all. If I was a boy then the people around town or those that knew of me would be more quieter about it all, i'd get the odd gift here and there but as i'm a girl it doesn't work that way. Even to other women, i'm still seen as weak and can't live alone.

The housewives in the apartment complex I live at are at my door everyday, giving me spare change or some fruit and vegetables. Sometimes I even come home to a hot pot with a note on top of it. I'm thankful for all the help but cooking for me was a little too much. The truth about it all is that i'm actually pretty well off, once i've finished high-school i'd have enough money for a college degree and still plenty left behind for expenses for a number of years. I wasn't rich though by any means, I was placed somewhere around the upper class i'd say.

My parents were known for always being pretty eccentric. My father never showing anything other than a smile but was always on the move, he was actually an exorcist for the church and believe it or not it was just a job to him. Him working as an exorcist was on the same level as working behind a till in a convenience store. So I still have his remaining money from that and some of the tools of his trade, Swords of light and Light Pistols, I even have his family blade that was well-known by the members of the church, a blade known as the Phoenix Blade. My mother was someone who was for all intents and purposes a NEET, that was to the outside world and at times us as well. My mother was a magician, nothing fancy but just a magician who'd help out the church from time to time. From her, I have the money she accumulated, gems and trinkets, books and tomes but finally two chunky white bracelets which also functioned like a bracer, it had a blue jewel in the centre and had black accenting. It was my mother's attempt at allowing humans to use Senjutsuu, while it works it will only work for attacking purposes and also not collect malice.

Next would be something that they both gifted me, although it was when I was born and technically not a gift from them. What I was given was a Sacred Gear and from my father's notes it was a mid-level one too that was called 'Aura of the Saint'. It summoned a pair of white skin-tight gloves that held a holy aura, supposedly it could allow the holder the use of basic Holy magic but I haven't figured that out yet other than explosions which i've mastered. It may even be a part of the rumoured Balance Breaker that Sacred Gears have. They went perfectly with the exorcist battle outfit that my father left behind for me, for some reason he had one made for me in a pristine white that my mother enchanted to be stronger and to shift and fit my size. For some reason, my father noted that the thigh-high boots were standard. I don't really see why he needed to mention that.

Because of this, because of what was left behind I started to become more boyish. Now I might have been mistaken for a boy, if I didn't inherit that 'lovely' assets that my mother did. Even at the age I was now, which was 14, I beat the average woman in size. Both top and bottom. Even with that, my name kinda fit in with the style I went for. I was a girl who dressed more boyishly so a unisex name fit me great plus as a fighter thanks to the tools from my father's trade a strong name also fit me which my name was. My name is Kuzuryu Aoi.

…

It was a saturday night and I found myself outside on the trail of some supernatural creatures around and about. Because of who my parents were, I had this sort of knack for sensing things that weren't human and i've always been a bit wary of things around me. Due to all this, I had once again adorned the pristine white church battle outfit and every single time i've been mistaken for an actual exorcist. Well, the weapons and uniform I use doesn't really give off anything else as a plausible point.

White thigh-high boots adorned with white straps and a white, skin-tight unitard with no sleeves. Normally there would be the gloves that come halfway up my bicep but I didn't need them as I had my Sacred Gear activated and these were just normal sized gloves that ended at my wrists, I did though have both of my bracelets on which i've gotten round to calling Blastia as it's what my mother wanted to call them. She was a bit of a game-freak. They also had two magic pockets each so each one could hold a light pistol and sword each. I also had the Phoenix Blade on standby as a Phoenix pin that was connected to the bobble that tied my raven-coloured hair up into a ponytail leaving two bangs to frame my face.

From what I could tell and surmise, the stray that I found myself looking for was at the far end of town just past a park in an abandoned building. I had been there a few times before, each time it sported a new pool of blood on the walls or the floor. It seemed that it was a hangout for Strays. Thankfully it wasn't that far from the apartment so I would arrive after a few minutes.

Walking through the park I found it being as quiet as always. It doesn't matter if it's a town know for being quiet there are always some kind of disturbance going on, whether its car rushing by with music blaring, people partying or just some loud passersby. This park though never seemed to get any of it at night, during the day it's loud and boisterous with kids playing but one the sun starts to descend it goes quiet.

As I walked out of the park and onto the pathway leading up to the abandoned building, I saw a brief flash of red … or is it crimson? Nothing really to fret about. Out of the flash of light came 4 people who quickly walked into the building. Picking up my pace, I started to jog towards the building to catch up with them.

Slowly pushing the large door open, I found myself looking into a dark corridor that ended with a small amount of light filtering in. Though I can't see the four people from before. Walking in through the door, I hear the dull thud behind me, turning around I see that the door closed by itself.

"Looks like this'll be a fun one."

It wasn't the first time a door had closed behind me. They were never the easiest fights for me, luckily the hardest fight was only against two stray devils.

Picking up my speed again, moving back into the jog I could start to hear a racket coming from the room right at the end of the hallway. The closer I got, the louder the racket got and as I stepped into the opening from the hallway into the room I could see why. The four people who had come ahead of me were locked in combat with 6 strays, 4 spider fusions and 2 … honestly don't know what to call them. Half naked women, half multitude of creatures. It was a mishmash of randomness.

Looking to the four people, I saw a blonde guy flashing in and out of view, a beyond beautiful girl with crimson hair, a yamato nadeshiko and a petite girl with white hair … wait, white hair? Koneko-chan? I pushed myself into the room and summoned both pistols to hand and squeezed both triggers once hitting one of the spider fusions in one of it's 8 legs searing right through it.

At the use of the holy bullets, the fighting completely stopped and all of them turned round to look at me. While holding onto the pistols, I brought my right hand up and waved.

"..Aoi?"

So it is Koneko-chan!

"Hey Koneko-chan, why didn't ya tell me you were here? Ah well, I guess i'll help for now."

"We appreciate it."

Without a second even passing from when the red-head replied to me the fighting commenced again. Putting the pistols back into the magic pockets, I swapped out for the Light Blades summoning the handles to my hand. Flicking the switch on them, they hummed into life causing a nearly 60 cm blade of pure light to come out of each. The aura from my sacred gear expands over the handle and enhances the blade.

Turning to my left, I push off towards the spider fusion that I injured upon entrance as it was the only one which seemed to narrow down on me. As we both got closer to each other, I could see that this one had a pair of scythe arms located at the point where the spiders body hits the human torso. Shame this wasn't a female hybrid.

Blocking both of the scythes with my blades, I could feel it force down some pressure on me as it pulled up it's right front leg. As it came towards me, I jump back quickly purely on instinct. Looking at where the leg clashed with the floor I could a small hole where the leg pierced into the ground.

'So everything is razor sharp on this one. As a human, how do I fight this one?'

Running back towards it, I deflected one scythe with the blade in my left hand and locked the other with the blade in my right hand. Spinning the blade in my left hand into a reverse grip, I brought it back across my body cutting off the scythe that I was blocking with the sword in my right hand. As the spider fusion roared in pain, I took my chance to jump back to reposition myself.

'Only doing that much will just enrage it. More erratic and stronger at the same time, I can't clash with anything stronger. Shakkoukan it is then.'

Going back towards it, keeping my body down low I waited till the last second to jump to the right away from the scythe. As I landed, I took a hurried step backwards to narrowly dodge a leg that shot down from above. Dismissing the blade of light from my right hand, I swapped the one in my left back to normal before starting to collect the aura from around my right hand into the centre of my palm.

Pushing myself straight into a run, I ran straight towards the underbelly of the hybrid keeping my sword down low in front of my body. Readying my sword, I brought it straight up once I got within range and was able to clash with the scythe before it could get momentum deflecting it upwards. Arcing my fingers around the ball of Holy energy in my hands, I pushed my right hand towards the underbelly.

"Shakkoukan."

Feeling the need to call it out, as the ball collided with the chest of the hybrid I softly spoke out the moves name alongside the explosion that resounded dealing the fatal holy damage to a devil while blowing it apart and sending a wave of holy energy outwards and heavily depleting what little of my magic I had to begin with.

I panted slightly as I stood myself back up straight, a heavy use of magic like that really does tire me a bit. It's kinda annoying that I can only use that twice, at least it packs a punch to make up for the consumption. Turning around I saw the 3 devils and Koneko-chan looking at me, it was almost like they were waiting for me.

"..Aoi..Exorcist?"

As the red-head smiled at me, Koneko spoke up like usual with barely enough words to make her point coherent.

"Nah, my father was though and my mother did work with the church. I told you I lived alone right? This is just some of what they left behind, I decided to make use of it as I have a sense for these things."

"..Mother?"

"She was a magician, created these bracelets for me." I lifted my hands up to show the bracelets and dismissed the sword from my left hand. "Because of my father, my mother just gave some info on stuff. They were never religious, my father treated it as a 9-5 job in all honesty."

As I replied they looked at me with slightly narrowed eyebrows. It was kinda weird, I gotta agree with that.

"Did your mother create the enchantment on your outfit? Are you an Angel or a Fallen Angel?"

Oooh, this time the red-head talk. What a noble sounding tone.

"Yeah, Okaa-san did that for me. Nah, 100% human. The gloves are my Sacred Gear. Gives me a Holy aura around my hands and I can use basic holy magic with it, according to what my father left behind it also means I can wield Holy Swords."

At the words 'Sacred Gear', the eyebrows took on a look of fascination like she had hit gold. What she said a second later was proof of that.

"Will you join my peerage?"

I could only smile lightly at her enthusiasm, the fact that she was so outright with it was good to say the least. She coulda been the type to wait and scheme for it. As Koneko kept her stoic expression, the Yamato Nadeshiko covered her small smile with her right hand and the blonde guy just stood their plainly, his expression was just a little off.

"Peerage? That's your reincarnation system right? You use … shogi or was it chess?"

"Yes, that's right and we use chess. So how about it? A Knight piece, it means you'll become really fast."

I can't really pinpoint it but that sounded a little childish. I mean, I don't see why not but if I remember correctly then a peerage is basically a squad of servants designed for fighting but still is a servant so living arrangements would change? Perhaps not, Koneko does go to school with me and the uniform she is wearing is from Kuoh academy. That would mean they are a bit more lenient I guess, I wouldn't expect to see a devil out in the human world unless they are stray or are recruiting.

Guess I can only ask to see.

"Peerage are essentially servants right? As long as I can stay living where I am then I don't see why not."

"Of course, you can live where you wish. I'm the heiress to the Gremory clan, we are known for our kindness after all."

Yeaaah … I guess they are a devil clan or something.

"Then sure, I will become your Knight."

"Great. Seen as you inquired about your housing, we will wait till you are home to do the process. Here."

She takes out a small piece of paper from her pocket and pushes it towards me. As I take it in my own hand, I could see that it was a leaflet with a magic circle on it. A summoning paper? Would this be for those contract things? I should probably read through my parent's notes again.

"When you arrive back, just call for Koneko and we'll come to see you."

Looking up at her and then straight back down to the paper, I nodded to her in reply. Looking back up I saw the four of them disappear in a flash of red light, leaving me alone in the slightly creepy abandoned building with blood splattered everywhere.

'Thanks for that devils.'

Giving the room I was in a brief final look over, deeming it empty save for myself I decided to leave and return home.

…

Upon returning to my apartment, I dismissed my sacred gear and took out the paper-contract thing from the clip on the inside of the blastia around my left wrist. Not really knowing what to do with it I decided to just improvise.

"Koneko, i'm ready for you."

I waited for a few seconds but I got nothing from the paper.

"Koneko-chan, I desire your presence."

Another few seconds passed by and I got nothing. I was stumped and I didn't like it. Taking my phone out from the clip in the blastia around my right wrist, I unlocked it and sent a text to Koneko to tell her I was home and that I tried the paper but nothing happened.

A few seconds later and a response came from Koneko, I knew it was her from the special ringtone i've got of her. It turns out that she is a Youkai, a Nekoshou at that so I got a recording of her purring when patting her. Good job I only set it as my ringtone for her or she might of heard it and stole my phone to delete it. Opening up the text my happy thoughts stopped just as a red flash came into my room.

The text read '...Are you stupid?' It hurt me more than it should have.

What appeared out of the red flash was my favourite neko companion and the happy-smiley red head from earlier. Still though, even after first glance those breasts are pretty impressive.

"I was slightly surprised to hear you failed with summoning us."

Please be quiet red-head.

"Well, I heard it was a desire thing so I guess my personality got in the way. I'm pretty lackadaisical."

Still though, I'm a little hurt by all this. Why couldn't Koneko just give me a fluffy kitty reply.

"Where would be the best place to do this? It would be preferable for you to lie down."

"In my room then."

Turning on the spot, I led the two girls into my bedroom. My pretty bland bedroom, save for the middle school sailor uniform on a chair and the table in the corner which held a mirror, brush and hair dryer. The bed though was one thing I didn't skimp out on, who knows what it was called but it was huge and had one of those roof things … canopy I think. Gotta make the girls I bring home feel like princesses after all.

Lying down on my bed, the red-head sat down on the edge of my bed and summoned a dark red horsey or should I say Knight Piece to hand. Once it dropped into her hand she placed it over my chest.

"In my name, Rias Gremory, I command you stand by my side and wield your blade in my name and for my honour. Relish in your new life as my Knight."

I didn't really feel anything as the piece started to react with my body although that was a slight brief second before the piece itself actually started to pass into my body. Looking down at it, I was a little weirded out … I mean it didn't cut into me and there was no blood flowing. It was weird.

The energy that started to pulse into my body was definitely dark in nature but it felt much more welcoming than the holy aura from my sacred gear. Would that mean I'm meant to be a devil? Well … being a lesbian probably points to that but how would the sacred gear now? That'll be pretty creepy if it's sentient and seen the things I've done with other girls … or should I say experimented?

I felt myself fading in and out of consciousness with my eyes drooping as the piece started to change my body. I could tell that the jackass in the Phoenix blade was doing half a job at keeping me up and about. Gonna have to verbally abuse the living skittle later on.

When the process came to an end I felt an odd sense of value in life, whether that was the servant contract or not I don't know. It was odd, it was like I had made an irreplaceable friend through doing absolutely nothing. I'm not sure how I wanna go about dealing with it. Either way, i'm not really someone who is serious nor someone that is particularly respectful. I'll give someone room when upset or angry but I don't really have respect for my elders, I really only use it loosely as per society forces you to here.

"You are a special one, aren't you?"

"I'll take that as a compliment. I've always been different."

That was the truth, I was a special individual. My mother and father made me this way just by giving birth to me, something as simple as that was what made me special. Even though I was just special to them at the beginning.

Moving to sit up I see Koneko leaning against the wall next to the door to my room with a bag on the ground next to her. It was just a simple duffle bag but I could tell that the meaning for it being there was much more. A duffle bag would resemble a few-night stint here but the feeling i'm getting is more long term.

"Well then, Aoi-chan, We'll talk more tomorrow after school."

I didn't really give a response to her, I just looked at the red head … Rias Gremory for a few secods before she decided that I had heard what she said and disappeared away in yet another red flash with the smile still firmly placed on her face.

"Koneko-chan, I take it you are to live here now?"

A nod was her response.

"Ok, I know you aren't fussy for food so that's ok plus the housewives round here give me food from time to time anyway. The only other thing i'd cared about for a visitor is that I only have 1 bed as you can see. That's ok right?"

"..No molesting."

That's a little mean, though spot-on for what I normally would have in mind.

"Your punches hurt too much, I know not to try you again."

I just playfully waved my hand to push the issue aside. Taking a few seconds to look around the room I see that it won't be so scarce anymore, that is if she decides to use a wardrobe for her things. I know from my mother's books about external dimensions for things. Supposedly the devils can create much larger ones outta nothing than humans. Really puts the two pockets on each of my blastia to shame.

Koneko's point though was true, what I do could be described as molesting by onlookers.

This whole business with the devils and the increased things to kill around town is really weird. It's like the world specifically chose this year to send it down the shitter. More life or death situations with those supernatural beings and the once All-girls school going co-ed. It's most definitely blasphemy, it's like some above being knew my reasons for wanting to go there full well.

"G'night."

There is one thing I can say to the above being and that is 'Fuck you.'

...

Little did I know that the above being was my master's father.

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**First time writing with a female OC but not my first time writing from a woman's Point of view, still i'm a little nervous with it.  
There isn't many female leads in the DxD section and for good reason really, it's a harem so unless i genderbend like a certain author there isn't many i can put in the 'harem' which there is going to be one. Point courtesy of EternityDragon again. If you don't like Yuri then blame him.**

**I haven't got the relationships down exactly but like it says in the summary Koneko is a definite. Loli Kitty, it's hard to bring myself to not have her there. If you want to suggest a character then go ahead, of course they have to be female and cannot be Rias, Akeno or Xenovia. Also unlike my other stories of late, there is no Rias-bashing. Of course, it was never really bashing her from my point but the characters. They had reason not to like her so yeah, there will be no hate here but there will be teasing. So that'll answer why Rias can't be in the Harem because Issei will still be in this story.**

**Now i want to say something about her power level in comparison to my other stories. Yes, she'll be strong but she won't be as strong as Issei is in the latter half of Canon so far. She will seem strong at the start but her power level will start to become more normal for the series as it goes on. And when everyone gets into the proper groove, She'll be inbetween Kiba and Issei in the group but it'll also work differently in those regards as well.**

**For those who see this and frequent and my stories, if you are wondering how things are going with my stories then visit my profile. I've actually made something of it now so there is some information and in the coming days I will put more detail on the progress of my stories.**

**That's all for now. Hope you like this female OC, Ciao!**


	2. Start of a Year Cycle

**Second Chapter.**

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For the summer vacation of that year we were to go to the Underworld. When I first heard that I was pretty pumped for doing so but then I was told that we would have to take a train because I was new, that just sapped it all outta me. Why a friggin' train?! Couldn't they just have a system to log register me before hand or once I got there? Seriously, there are some blog sites with better services. Trains are the worst public transport there is, congested and a congregation of germs both with and without others there. Plus with my lack of respect and my pure belief in first come, first serve I very much dislike the attitude on trains. Who needs courtesy anyway.

I expressed my annoyance at this just by simply wearing my exorcist uniform the whole way while having the gloves from my sacred gear out. The residual holy aura would then flow off of me and pester the rest of the group, i'd like to think that they got the full force of my annoyance from this simple instance and lead them to improve the damn thing. I mean why waste so much money on the friggin' trains and its whole friggin' system when you could just create a check system on teleporting into the Underworld. Surely there already has to be such a thing in place to act against intruders. I'd much rather sat for a few minutes to deal with some paperwork than spend a few butt-numbing hours on a damn train.

When we finally got off the train I was happy … for all of five short seconds. Apparently the Gremory family is that loving they sent out a welcoming party and this welcoming party didn't take kindly to my holy aura. Honestly, I'm not sure a deadpan was enough for the situation especially when I saw what looked like my master being wrapped in a hug by an older, gender-bent version of said master. While I found it slightly hard to comprehend the sight that was before me, the others seemed to just take it in their stride like it was a simple everyday occurrence. To this, I wondered if the devils were ok with incest.

…

Upon approaching the home we would be staying at during our time in the Underworld I was ordered to dismiss my Sacred Gear. I'm probably going to have to announce my powers to her family … I wonder why Rias never asked me about it. Could it be that she thinks what I showed during our meeting was all I had? Well, that's surely enough for some people I guess.

One thing I was interested about was the fact that the gender-bent version of my master stared at my Blastia the whole carriage ride to the place we'd be staying. Not the uniform, nor was he interested about the Holy aura or the Phoenix pin that resided in my bobble. Perhaps he could tell that it was something out of the ordinary.

Arriving at the 'home' that we'd be staying at, I saw that it wasn't 'just something simple' like Rias had said but an actual castle. I don't know whether I should be annoyed that she lied or exasperated at the fact that it's a damn castle. Was this meant to be a surprise? I was more surprised at the number of maids that were here to welcome us rather than the size of the castle. Each maid was eye-wateringly beautiful, my stay was going to be a much better one than I suspected.

"Aoi..Crying again.."

I felt a sharp pain in my side as Koneko chided me. I can't help getting this way you know.

"But Koneko-chan, so many women."

"..Baka.."

At least she's stopped calling me a pervert.

As we followed behind Rias and her brother down the red-carpet path to the castle I could see that my current apparel was catching the gazes of the maids. I don't know what the right emotion should be towards this but I don't care, I'll just bask in their gaze.

Approaching the large doors into the castle, Rias' brother disappeared off in a red flash that was both similar and different to her own. I would have to guess that it would be because he was the new Lucifer. From what I've seen so far the devils are anything but normal, they are all pretty damn weird. Opening the doors to the castle and I was assaulted by a strange light. Not one that was holy in nature but just damn bright, rather than it being bright in respect to the sun's rays but from the general lighting and shine of the various trinkets and rich goods in the main hall. It was... err... no idea how to describe it. It just made me feel kinda inadequate, any one item was probably worth either about as much as my whole apartment or more. It's a little surreal.

I could only groan at the sight really, I have no words for it. Just an unintelligent groan.

"Ohh~ Is this the girl? Exorcist who isn't an exorcist?"

Bringing my attention to the people here, I took note of two people. Her parents probably from the look of them. A man with red hair just like Rias' and a women with brown hair who looked like a slightly older Rias. If I hadn't known about the magic to make yourself look younger i'd probably mistake her as her sister.

"Yes Otou-sama. This is Kuzuryu Aoi, she is my new Knight."

Her parents then looked to me, their expressions holding expectance but at what? Is this my lack of respect blinding me or something I am yet to learn about?

'Oi Skittles, what am I meant to do?'

_'The name's Ho-oh. Just use it Lesbian.'_

'I know without a doubt that you aren't a creature in a popular game so until you tell me your real name, I'm gonna call you Skittles.'

_'...Sure, whatever.'_

**Poof**

A small cloud of smoke pops into existence around my head and a weight, a heavy one, appears on top of my head. Then as the smoke disappears I feel talons cling onto my scalp, somewhat excruciatingly.

"...Phoenix?"

"Yup~ Phoenix."

That's all can say in response. Not anything more I could say in response.

"Aoi-chan, you never told me you had a Phoenix."

Is that a cute little pout I see?!

"You never really asked. You seemed to be wholly content with the fact that I had a Sacred Gear and some equipment that Exorcists use. Actually, over the two months I've been a devil you never inquired about whether there is more to me or not."

She blinked. Then again and again.

"_That is true, Crimson. You never thought to ask if this Lesbian held onto a Noble and Regal Phoenix like me?"_

"Oi! Don't say lesbian like it's a name. Skittles."

"_Skittles ain't a name either you damn Lesbian. My name's Ho-oh."_

"There you go, lying to me again."

I just shook my head in annoyance.

"Where did you get a Phoenix?"

"Part of my father's exorcist stuff. Why? Is this gonna be a problem?"

Rias then looked to her parents, her parents then looked at her. Seconds passed by with nothing but those three people staring at each other. The end result was the male, Lord Gremory, shrugging his shoulders.

"Not until we tell someone about this. Aoi-chan, you said 'Ho-oh' is a part of your father's exorcist stuff. Can you explain?"

A light chirp came from Skittles in accordance to Lord Gremory calling him 'Ho-oh'. Damn Skittles.

"My father was Houou Ken but the church simply called him 'Father Firebird'. The reason for that was the Phoenix and that his main weapon was a sword that houses said Phoenix. While the Church didn't know it housed a Phoenix, they called him 'Firebird' because of the sword itself. There are ornaments on the sword that give off an avian feel while as it houses the Phoenix it allowed him to hold control over Fire and Wind. That's all I know."

"...Artificial Sacred Gear perhaps? Can you fuse with it at all?"

Fuse with it?

Turning my head upwards to look at Skittles, he just tilted his head off to the side. We were both stumped.

"_No idea. The thought never came up. Though if we can … I doubt we can right now."_

"What do you mean Skittles?"

"_Currently we aren't so compatible. You've never tried to use Fire or Wind magic which now as a devil you can use pretty easily. Your usual sword style is dual swords, while that is useful for the sub-form of the sword it's not the main form so I guess we'd need to learn to fight with a single sword. Flying too, I need to teach you about our wings. I guess we'll need some artes too because of those bracelets because that's a part of your style. We'll need to build some upper body muscle as those Lightsabers don't need much to wield. We've got your father's memos for the sword itself so training isn't a problem, we just need to do it really."_

"So I can become a Phoenix?"

"_You'll become comparable to the devil Phoenix clan at least. You won't become a bird. This is all just a possibility so who knows. Devil magic is based on our imagination so perhaps we need to combine it altogether and it might work. We got a long road ahead of us."_

Ugh … such a hassle.

"Actually, is there a reason for you asking this? I get a feeling it isn't just learning about your daughter's new servants."

Once I asked that, Rias' expression darkened as her parent's expressions just dropped kinda like they were tired. It looked like they were tired of the subject itself but I can't help but feel like it's something more than just that.

"Yes. You see, Reincarnated Devils are increasing at a much higher rate than Pure-blooded Devils are. On top of that, there isn't that many Pure-bloods left after the Great War and the Civil War so there has been a lot of pressure on the younger generation and arranged marriages. And due to this, Rias has been betrothed to Raiser Phoenix, the 3rd son of Phoenix."

I see. The immortality, while a gain for the Gremory clan the person in question isn't a particularly desirable one I will have a guess at. That means they are secretly looking for a way out, the Gremory affection rings true then. Fall to peer pressure while looking for an escape plan in secret, is that how it is?

"Rias is very much against this engagement for her own reasons. She has been very vocal on this so my wife and I along with our son had started to think about giving her a chance."

If she loses, then she will have to marry then and there. Pretty risky plan so I guess while they love her to bits they also see the importance of the marriage to devils themselves or is it they see the importance more than Rias' own desires? She is the heiress if I remember correctly so she holds more responsibilities than most so her being against this would be kinda controversial? Then as a high-class devil that would mean a game.

"I understand, you are thinking of allowing her to get herself out of this but only if she can beat Raiser Phoenix in a Rating Game. If I remember correctly, they are used to settle debates like this from time to time. That's an awfully tall mountain to climb, even if this fusion is possible." Wait … the school going co-ed. Could it? "Is this a reason why you are turning the school co-ed? Adding males to her possible list would add to the potential power and give more of a chance even if it's just through number. If so, would there be a time limit on all this?"

Both of her parents let out a wry smile at how I caught along with the conversation and where it was heading. Rias and the others looked a little surprised at it, well only three of them as Koneko just kept a stoic façade. I wasn't really one who looked to be very smart.

"You are correct. This is also the only possible option that Raiser-kun would agree to. He is very cocky in his power, while I don't doubt that he is strong I do believe there should be a limit to how cocky he can be. The time limit wouldn't even be a year I'm afraid. It was originally decided that it would happen once Rias has graduated from college in the Human world but both the Phoenix clan and the nobles are getting complacent, especially Raiser himself. The problem being that the Reincarnated Devils continue to grow by the day. Where Devils have a problem conceiving at all, Reincarnated devils can be simply anyone of the King's choosing. The two rates are irregular and the nobles are applying pressure because of this."

Such a tall ordeal. Fighting an actual Phoenix? With the Rating game being the only option and the fact that Rias is completely against it that means there is something with his peerage. All-girls, full 15 members or just 5 members for very powerful servants. Any one of those is the reason, the members is the problem though here for the fight. He has to have a full peerage putting us against a number game.

This would be another factor why Rias asked me to become a part of her peerage without much thought. My ability to use Holy magic is a big factor in this, i'd have a distinct advantage on all of his servants. Now Skittles and the sword, I've become the counter to him. By the time of the game, I will have been a devil for a year at most. This is difficult to think about, also feels like I have more say in this than Rias does simply because of this power.

I shook the thoughts out of my head. Her potential happiness is in my hands, that's too hard a subject to deal with on such short notice.

"Can we please not make this sound like it's my choice?"

"Ah yes, I'm sorry. Despite the fact that we are part of the reason why she is a part of this, we are still her parents and want the best for her. Hearing about your powers made me lose myself for a minute but really, with whose choice it is it's not like you won't feel the pressure."

That is true. He said Rias is completely against, if a way out shows she is going to take it. Looking at her I can see that. Not even a year to learn how to wield a 2-handed sword, fire magic, wind magic, build upper body strength all while juggling school and devil life. She sure is lucky I don't need much sleep to be fully rested.

"Aoi-chan, don't think much more about it today. Just rest for today and you can go from wherever tomorrow."

I dropped my shoulders down to relax as Lord Gremory turned back to Rias. I can feel a headache coming on.

"Rias, we'll talk more about this later. For now, just relax and show Aoi-chan around and to her own room. I suspect she is going to be a very important girl if you choose to do the Rating Game."

Don't say that. That'll just jinx me for more annoyances.

"Hai, Otou-sama."

As Rias and the others gave a short bow, Lord Gremory and Lady Gremory turned back to me with a small smile before walking off. So much responsibility that I don't want.

"Huuuuh … Guh, I'm tired."

…

I was granted a rest for the remainder of the first day. It was a pretty good rest to, no matter where we went in the castle there was always some kind of comfy furniture for me to lazily lounge on, even when we went outside. Then there was the food and drink that was provided, it was absolutely sublime though I was pretty happy that their sweets and pastry weren't as good as mine. A brief spout of superiority for me and for once.

Unfortunately, that all just lasted that first day we were there. Come the second day and I was left alone at the castle to start my training while they all went to venture the Underworld for clothes and what have you. Honestly, I was happy for the training excuse as I really didn't wanna go out into the capital of the Gremory territory. Not because I wasn't going to change outta my exorcist gear but because I couldn't be bothered leaving the confinements of the castle. It was just one of those days.

So I did what I did best and that was run. I put on my wireless headphones, synced it with my phone, clipped my phone into the blastia on my right wrist and pressed play before I started on my run.

The reason I chose to run was simple, improve my stamina while improving my upper body strength. Inside the notes left by my mother on the Blastia, I could increase the weight on them up to 20Kg. As I started on my run, I slowly increased the weight by 250g after I started to feel lugging around the weight for a bit. I was increasing my stamina because it was important as a Knight and because Stamina was also a decent part of the Phoenix's regeneration. Two birds with one stone.

And when I say run, I actually mean run and not a gentle jog. I was just running round the confinements, sticking next to the castle walls. In short bursts going into the Knight-powered sprints when I started to feel happy at the weight to get full use of it before upping the weight. Though once I got to 10Kgs I stopped increasing it and focused on pure sprinting which I got into a full hour before the rest of the peerage returned to see me as a white blur sprinting along the edges. They arrived back just past 5 hours into my training and that was when my training for the time being ended because I supposedly earned a break, not sure that I did but my legs were starting to get a bit heavy.

A short break later and I was back into training again, this time though with Lord Gremory as the others sat and watched. The reason why he was teaching me was because no one else in the Gremory family used wind magic, there was a few who used fire but no wind users. The ease that Rias had to get him to teach me was incredible, she didn't have to put on a cutesy face or pout or even use doggy eyes. The moment she asked normally he agreed with a very happy expression. The magic itself though wasn't that hard to get a grasp on, much like Skittles had said. It was very easy to get to terms with and use, wind more so than fire I found.

Even though I caught on very quickly with it, it wasn't like I could go that far in one day anyway. Lord Gremory had plenty of other things to do and I was tired. The rest of that day was purely just rest for me.

…

The third day and I finally came face to face with the Raiser Phoenix that Rias was set to marry.

Just as I got out of my shower to get rid of the morning sweat that I received from training again. A knock came on the door just as I summoned my exorcist/training gear back on. Fixing the Blastia back onto my wrists, the door to my room opened and a silver-haired maid came in. My mind blanked for a second before I remembered her name, Grayfia Lucifuge, Half maid to Gremory and Half wife to Sirzechs Lucifer. Kinda weird situation but I'm never gonna bother dwelling on it.

"Aoi-sama, you and your fellow peerage has been called. Raiser Phoenix-sama is here."

There goes my afternoon training, at least I get to see who this guy is.

Pulling my hair back into a ponytail, I followed Grayfia out of my room and off towards wherever we were going. The annoying thing was that it felt like a small journey just switching floors. It's all very grand and whatnot but really, a few minutes just to walk through around a quarter of the place to get to my destination. That doesn't sit well with me. I was tempted to summon my gloves but I felt like Grayfia would hit me if I did, thanks to Koneko I've built up that kind of thing. I know when I'll be hit for doing something now although it doesn't always stop me.

Knocking on the door twice, we waited several seconds before we were called into the room. Walking into the room, I saw that Rias and the others were now wearing more formal clothes. As I walked to take my place by Koneko I started to wonder whether I just didn't bother to listen about this small event. Looking towards the other side of the room I took in the almost wonderful sight, there was 16 very pleasing women to look at and then a man and what I assumed to be Raiser Phoenix, who was currently eyeing me up. Maybe not changing was a bad idea, ah well not like I really care.

"So this is your new knight Rias."

At the sound of his voice I could actually feel myself getting tired, not through his voice being pleasant but through being bored. You didn't have to be a genius to know this talk will be a boring one. I've been training since I woke up and I nearly fell asleep in the shower so I'll more than likely fall asleep unless something happens or Koneko pinches me to stay awake and if so I'll have to thank her.

In response to Raiser, Rias just nodded not even gracing him with her voice it seemed.

"She is certainly an attractive one, a tight-fitting outfit too."

Yup, he's a pervert. Though, looking at the 15 girls behind him I would have thought that anyway.

_'Oi Lesbian, the blonde drills behind him is also a Phoenix.'_

'You mean sister or cousin from off-branch? Like one who is half human so used as a servant.'

_'From the looks of things, she is his younger sister. The main branch does have a daughter too.'_

"Rias, how about a trade for the Exorcist girl?"

Breaking from my talk with Skittles, I find myself being requisitioned for. As I looked to Rias, she just sighed lightly and looked to me to talk in her place. It would seem that my bluntness is required.

"I'd rather be raped by a few hundred mutated lions."

And as always, I said something rather bizarre nonchalantly but it seemed like I did well as Rias smiled to me in response and Raiser looked … is that livid or something else?

"You have quite the mouth on you, Low-class devil."

"And you have quite the disgusting appearance, High-class devil."

I replied back quickly before anything else could be said.

"Rias, I advise you to control your servant before she gets burnt."

Rias just sighed in response as it was at this point that I stop to which I did but while turning my head to the side and chuckling lightly.

The conversation, if you could really call it that, just went into topic about the engagement. What it turned out to be was Rias constantly declining no matter how Raiser or his parents phrased things. During this I noticed that the Blonde Drills that Skittles pegged as a Phoenix was staring at me, it was a prying gaze from what my body felt like in response to the gaze. It felt like she was trying to discern something, maybe she could feel Skittles' presence. The gaze while not that bad was just a little weird, the fact that her gaze lingered on me was enough to think that.

No-one else was really a part of the conversation, other than when Lord Gremory or Phoenix had to step in on whichever side got to heated. While all relationships have their arguments, this was way too much. It's almost like Raiser's natural essence pissed Rias off and in turned pissed Raiser off. It was a rather peculiar and interesting sight to behold.

Looking at the peerage I could tell that I could beat any of them as long as I fought normally, even his little sister. Her essence feels like there isn't any fight to it, i'd either just wear her down or she'd just retire by herself. The only problem is the Queen, the only member of his peerage that is really noted and is called the 'Bomb Queen' meaning she uses magic much like my Shakkoukan obviously without the Holy part to it. If her anticipation and evoking skills were good then she could probably catch me. The two knights don't really seem like a problem in combat but it's their speed that I'm slightly wary of, I won't know how fast they are till I fight them. The Rooks both look like fast hitters rather than hard hitters but I don't doubt that they can hit hard especially with the Rook enhancement. The Bishop … I may be overestimating myself but it feels like our reserves are pretty similar, she shouldn't pose any problem to me. The 8 pawns either shouldn't really though the two set of twins is something to think on for their possible joint tactics, bound to be much stronger together than alone.

The problem is how long would it take to beat them and would my stamina last, also would I be able to get away with little to none damage to me. They are members of Phoenix so they can probably use fire or wind so there is also that to look out for if any of them are able to manipulate it while fighting. Then there is Raiser himself, he is definitely way out of my grasp right now. Even if I could fuse with Skittles and use the Shakkoukan or any other Holy magic I doubt I could win straight, no chance after getting through his peerage unless he has been attacked before hand to lower his stamina. Discounting our incapacitated Bishop, it's a 1:3 ratio so we each take on 3 people with one of us taking on an extra or all ganging up on that final person.

Unless we can get a Longinus or a High-class sacred gear I don't like our chances at all, even if I am able to fuse. We'll be stronger by that time but so will they, and by how much? Raiser doesn't look like he would bother, his sister doesn't look like she is a part of the peerage to fight. He is active in the Rating Games so they are bound to strengthen. Could we really be out of our depth here?

Ugh … all this thinking makes me just want to go out and do some more training.

Bringing myself back to the conversation that lingered in the room, Rias stood up with a frustrated grunt and stomped out of the room with Akeno, Kiba and Koneko following after her. I just watched them leave with half-lidded eyes. Seeing that I wasn't going to bother following Grayfia then decided to move from her spot and left the room closing the door after herself leaving me in the room with Rias' parents and the Phoenix clan.

"Look at you Raiser-kun, you must be popular with the ladies."

I said it without a single hint of sarcasm but kept my sight firmly on the door that they left from.

"More popular than you'd think."

Well if that ain't a smug response then I don't know what is.

"Are you sure you shouldn't follow too?"

At that I looked to Raiser with a blank expression.

"Naah, I wasn't really listening to begin with. Been training all morning and nearly fell asleep in the shower before Grayfia pulled me here. Well, I can guess what happened not that i'd be correct with that guess as I don't really care what you said to annoy her."

"You don't care? She is your master you know."

"And she isn't me. Just because she is my master it doesn't mean that my emotions will correspond with hers. I'm given that liberty because the Gremorys are kind and she is soft. Plus I've only been with them a few months, I'm not really invested though you could probably put it down to me not joining through circumstances like them. They all owe Rias a whole lot, I don't owe her a thing yet."

"But you are her servant."

"That I am but that doesn't mean I have to follow after her to make sure she is ok. She is just pissed off through what you said, not heartbroken by some guy she liked."

"You don't think that's a little harsh?"

I raised my eyebrow at that.

"You are asking me that? Don't you think this whole engagement is harsh on her? Please, at least I don't piss her off just by having her look at me. You don't have to be smart to see the disgust and hatred she has in her eyes when she looks at you, I see the same look when you are just mentioned."

"Still, you don't deny it."

Just going to play off what I said huh? Ok, not that I mind.

"Nothing I can deny. I don't watch what I say, I don't have respect for others. No one has proven to me that they are worth my respect. You nobles have respect because you are a symbol but you aren't a symbol to me, no one here is and because I don't see you as that I won't show any of you respect. My way of life may seem weird and disrespectful but you should know that despite how weird my point is, Rias is happy that I'm this way."

"What?! How could she be happy that you treat her like she is a nobody?"

I just hummed lightly at that, he gave me a good word to use there.

"Because she wants to be seen normally or to use your word a nobody. She isn't like you Raiser, she doesn't think she is a gift to the world. Rias went to the human world because she doesn't want people to treat her like a princess, I would go as far as to say that she is fed up with it at times. This engagement amplifies it and so does her brother."

"Your point is?"

You don't see the point? Are you an idiot or are you just dismissing it?

"She wants to be treated as Rias and not Gremory. Her brother is Sirzechs Lucifer, the strongest devil. A lot rides on her shoulders because of that, she is expected to at least be as half as strong as he is. She has no real kind of leeway in this engagement, her points, her choices and her preferences are being completely overlooked and dismissed. This is an arranged marriage, not a true marriage. You Raiser, are the biggest problem in all of this. Both through your own fault and others."

I took a small breath before speaking again.

"You don't treat women like people. As soon as I entered the room, your eyes have never met my face. Even now as I tell you this your eyes have never reached above my chest. It shows what you are interested in and that isn't Rias herself just her body. That's why there are such things as whores so you can buy a body to have sex with. Marriage is for someone you love, someone you enjoy being with, someone you get along with. You know this, you are bound to but it's just simply that you couldn't care less. As long as the body and face is good to look at nothing else matters to you. That point can also go across into your peerage. You might have picked them because they have potential but it's clear as rain that that wasn't your only reason if it even was one. They all fit a trope of some sort. Tsundere, Loli, Nekomimi, Asian, Tall, Twins. That's just to name a few that fit. Is what you are doing really worth it? Is putting a young girl who is obviously against it worth it?"

Looking straight at him, I narrowed my expression slightly. My tone never left a neutral one, I was just simply laying out the facts. Not supporting or not being against anything. I know that none of this will affect his conscience at all but perhaps it might affect his parents and their choice is above his. Looking to Lady Phoenix, I could see the pained look she was trying to hide in her eyes. It must have been the same for her. When I looked to Lord Phoenix, he simply just turned his head slightly.

I shook my head lightly, no use dwelling any more on it.

"Lord and Lady Gremory, I am going to continue my training. Lord and Lady Phoenix, Raiser Phoenix, Blonde Drills, I'll see you all again."

Turning on the spot I let out a deep sigh that had collected in my throat without me realising it. I then walked towards the door of the room, as I opened it slightly I turned to look back in the room and Raiser had his eyes directly on me. His eyes squinted slightly as he looked me straight in the eye. It was a look of determination, determination for the wrong thing.

Opening the door fully I walked out of it and closed it behind me. Looking to my right, I saw Rias and the others outside in the garden sitting at a table with a small red magic circle on the table. Turning to my left I saw Grayfia standing there, right next to the door with a small magic circle in hand. Looking back to the table I saw Rias and the others had turned to look at me as the circle disappeared away.

"You've been there the whole time haven't you?"

Turning to look back at Grayfia she had a motherly smile on her usually blank expression. It didn't even look out of place at all, I'm being serious about that.

"I have and on Rias-sama's behalf I thank you."

"It's fine Grayfia. I don't expect to get off from it scot-free, if I do then that's all I need for thanks."

Taking in one deep breath, I let it out a second later. Shaking my head once again, I start to walk past Grayfia.

"Like I said, I'm going to go train. After that, I think I might have to do for what's in store for the future."

* * *

**It's with strange happiness that i bring this chapter to you today.  
I mean, I didn't think I would be able to look over it and be happy enough with it to upload it today.  
This chapter is solely for understanding Aoi and how she will act in the future.  
**

**I will say here that i may have lacked on responses from Phoenix as to what Aoi said.  
Yeah, i can see if someone thought more should be said or they told her to stop before she went too far.  
I understand that point and it will come up in the future obviously because of the type of person she is.**

**First two chapters and i've been pretty loose with what Aoi can do. So i'll address it briefly here.  
She is a Technique/Power type. Safe to call her a perfect fusion of Kiba and Xenovia in a way.  
Her style of combat is rather easy to understand once you start, it can be hard to deal with as well.  
Because she is a perfect blend, she is a frightening opponent without being Over the Top powerful.  
This will hopefully be show to you in the next chapter, whenever i get round to looking over and feeling happy with it.  
Probably next Friday sometime i guess.  
**

**Anywho, I'm off. Ciao!**


	3. Plunge into Knowledge

**Third chapter.  
Safe to say I went along a different route with this chapter.  
Hope you enjoy it's differences to my usual.**

* * *

As it would happen, I took no consequence from how I spoke during the meeting with Raiser Phoenix and when I said to Grayfia that that was enough thanks, I meant it. Sirzechs Lucifer was very vocal in his thanks to me for saying what he couldn't, he couldn't lose face through favouritism. He looked to try and pay me back for it but there was nothing I really wanted so I just told him 'Nothing but if you really want to pay me back for it then whatever you give me is more than enough.'

I didn't see what I did as anything special but it looked like the whole Gremory clan did. Whenever I passed by, the maids and butlers would always bow to me, smile to me and greet me rather than just the simple bow they had done before. The cooks, they made me milk and cookies for before I went to sleep for 5 days straight. A maid always met me after I had finished my 5 hour run around the castle walls with a lukewarm energy drink in hand and a towel under their arm.

It was all a gratitude that I didn't need for something that I did on my own accord. What I said was something small to me, it was something i'd have said regardless of who it was too but to them it was huge. Exceptionally so with no backlash from my comments.

At the end of the second week in the Underworld I found out what Sirzechs Lucifer's present to me was or should I say presents. The first of three was that he paid off my apartment for the next 5 years and gave extra for improvements to the complex itself. The second of the three was a diamond encrusted sapphire necklace. The final present was 5 slips of paper inscribed with the magic circle for Lucifer. They were special paper and positively charged with magic. They were 5 slips to summon a defence circle that Sirzechs had created for personal use. Each slip then had 3 uses in them but they had to be used in the same battle or the paper would disappear.

The rest of our time there was repetition. Summer vacation is June through to September and each and every day was spent in the Underworld, me being the only one to use up every day training after that initial day for pure rest. It became a routine, it never bothered me from the off really. It was just the thought of things riding on my shoulders was a little bit too much to think about at the beginning but looking into it now, it's best to not think about it. Put in my all till the day comes to prove ourselves and if we don't win, then we don't win. We did our best but still failed, just means I'll have to continue to get stronger.

After the first month the others seemed to pick up the mood that I had and everyone got into doing some kind of training, of course none of them did a 5 hour sprint with me, not even Kiba. He topped out at 3 hours with the weights on. Everything went pretty well during this time and I was also able to get the consumption for Shakkouken down by quite a bit, that was my biggest goal for the training anyway. I learnt enough fire and wind magic according to Skittles so I just needed to think of applying it somehow with my Blastia. That left my swordplay, using two hands for one sword was a little odd especially with the weight and everything being new to me. Honestly, I didn't like it. My style was fast-paced dual wielding or at least just fighting with two weapons at least.

Only once did I leave the confinements of the castle and it's garden to venture into the capital of the Gremory territory. The reason or should I say reasons for that was Rias and Akeno. It seems that my habit of training everyday came up in conversation and they asked Koneko what I wore around the house and whenever I left along with what I had in my wardrobe. The answer is nothing, all I have in my wardrobe is a pair of black knee-high leather boots, slim fit black jeans and a medium-sized mens black hoody. That's it. I either wear the Exorcist clothes as they keep me warm through the enchantment and aren't restricting at all or my school uniform. And thus I was dragged out to go clothes shopping by the King and Queen of the peerage.

They seemed to think that I had a small collection of clothes because I was alone and needed to just keep my money for the apartment and food along with whatever other essentials I needed. That wasn't the case, I just didn't care for having so many clothes. I didn't need to have numerous outfits that i'd probably only wear once, even if I was to buy clothes you'd find me in the mens section for something baggy to wear. I wasn't let off with that. I was taken on a tour around the female department stores, put into a number of different clothes as Akeno and Rias put in their own insight to what worked. They even took my quietness to mean that I just didn't know what to say, quite frankly telling them otherwise would probably of just made it all worse.

What I did learn though is that women are vultures when it came to clothes. As we shopped I could see that the other females, excluding the stores clerks, stayed away from us. It would seem that they wouldn't chance trying to get some clothes from where we were. Whole bunch of bs really. At least they did keep more towards my style of things, nothing very girly although there was one or two clothes that I would consider such. The only thing I was truly happy with was the black jacket that had belt-like straps adorning it around the waistline, collar and cuffs.

How much did the shopping spree cost? For just clothes alone it was a whole lot, probably enough to live in my apartment for a year. Then it was the undergarments parts, supposedly I needed more risqué stuff but to that I actually spoke out and said 'For who?' I was never gonna be in a relationship with a male and if I was to fully enter a relationship with a girl, I would be the less girly one so I didn't need the risqué stuff and I certainly didn't need the frilly shit. Then it was swimsuits, I vehemently denied having them help me out and just bought a white and blue sports swimsuit. That was just to shut them up really, I don't really see myself swimming any time in the near future outside of forced lessons in school.

After buying that I thought they would have been satisfied but no, they weren't. I forgot possibly the most vital part or most annoying part of a shopping trip with women. We hadn't got shoes yet. At that point I really had enough and just fell asleep. According to Skittles nothing bad happened but I don't really wanna trust him. I was woken up by a rather small amount of electricity and saw that they had bought me nothing but had bought themselves something. It wasn't that they were secretive about what they bought, I just didn't care what it was. It just meant the end to the dreaded afternoon that I was put through. Sure I could have voiced my complaints but in doing so I would have put myself into the same position as a toddler who wasn't getting what they wanted and was kicking and screaming in response. I was already getting enough looks just through being in my exorcist gear, the looks woulda just been annoying.

…

"Aoi!"

Skidding myself to a stop, I found myself being called by Rias as I was training. Turning my head to look at where I heard her voice, I saw my red-haired master with the peerage just behind and a small red-haired boy by her side. This red-haired boy also had red eyes.

Looking towards them I saw that they had no intention of getting closer so I did next what only I would do next. Instead of going over to meet them, I started running again only to meet Rias in the centre of my pathway once I had completed another few laps.

"Aoi-chan, that's rude you know."

"When haven't I responded in a rude way? It's your fault for not coming over to me after calling, I've already showed the kind of person I am multiple times. Though, I'm pretty sure you could have waited another half hour to show me a kid with red eyes."

Her eyes twitched slightly at the way I phrased it. It wasn't on purpose but I did kinda make it sound like I thought of it like a sight at a zoo, like a popular animal there.

Turning to the left, I saw the red-eyed boy getting closer being led by Akeno who was holding onto his hand while doing so. I held back the urge to save him as I felt a strong sense of something. Could Akeno be a shotacon? Surely would fit in with her freaky fetishes. She is a very dangerous person regardless of your age.

"You are Rias-neesama's new Knight right?"

Ughh...That happy, cutesy tone grates at my mind.

How old is this kid anyway?...No wait, even if I asked I wouldn't bother to remember.

"Yeah."

I just responded to him blandly and he stopped right in his tracks, he looked very confused. While I don't know his age, I do know who he is. I've seen him around before during my times sprinting around. From what I've read and heard from the servants, he is Millicas Gremory and the son of Sirzechs Lucifer and Grayfia. That's the reason why he is so confused, even during parties the nobles there would have spoken at length with him to keep his attitude cheerful as he was the son of the strongest devil. That doesn't bother me in the slightest, I can get him ready to deal with people like me. The earlier the better, although that will just be my excuse if I'm reprimanded for speaking to him like I am.

"Can I see your Phoenix?"

_'Tell the brat no.'_

Skittles response came as soon as Millicas finished and before he could put on those eyes that children have.

"He said no."

His request being declined brought quite the good disappointed look to his face. Good.

"..But why?"

"Even if I asked he wouldn't tell me. Lucifer's kid or not, he doesn't care for you in the slightest. Actually, you can say that about anyone. Even when we met the Phoenixes he didn't care, he told me I shoulda burnt them to the ground. Not really sure about his logic on that one."

Exceptionally disappointed face, even Rias and Akeno looked a little disheartened at it. Maybe Skittles is good for something after all. Perhaps I can call him by Ho-oh from now on if this is the case.

"Wanna ask anything else kid?"

Rias and Akeno were both shocked at my complete lack of respect for all of 2 seconds before they both blinked at the same time and just looked at Millicas waiting for his reaction. To his credit, he just took it in his stride though it's probably because his concentration was more on the disappointment of not getting to see an actual Phoenix.

_'Oi, Oi, tell the kid that I'll let him see me but only if he kills a member of the Phoenix clan right in front of us.'_

'Are you out of your mind? As much as that would be awesome, there is no chance of it happening.'

_'And that's obviously the reason why I put that as my request. Damn kid, thinking I'm some wild animal locked up in a Zoo. He should burn for it.'_

"Aoi-neesama?"

"Don't call me that."

From one annoying thing to another, damn kid is way too friendly, damn Gremory clan and their affection.

"The Phoenix said that he'll show himself but you'd have to do something for him first."

"Oh, what is it?"

Good, we've got him. Now to completely dash his hopes, this is what you get for being so friendly and respectful at the same time. You are a kid dammit, don't be so respectful.

"Kill a member of the Phoenix clan right in front of me, which in turn is in front of him."

I heard both Rias and Akeno sigh at that request, of course anyone who heard it would know that it's a impossible request. To kill a noble for such a petty reason that'll last a few seconds is ridiculous.

"Ahh but I can't do that."

"That's why he said it kid. The Phoenix is quite a bit like me, if we don't wanna do something then there is no chance of you getting us to do it. You can threaten to kill us and be completely serious about it over something extremely trivial and we will let you kill us because we don't want to do it."

"Aoi-chan, can you come inside for a bit? Onii-sama wants to speak to you."

I let out a deep, annoyed sigh at that. Hopefully, this won't become something that's very troublesome. That's also a quick change of topic.

"Fine, my body has started to cool down now so it'd be pointless to continue for just another half hour."

My annoyance was pushed right to the side as the three of them turned around immediately and started to lead me into the castle. When I say that I mean that must have been the original idea because once we started to walk towards the castle, I could see Sirzechs Lucifer and a few other people here with him. Those few other people being the two I think are Raiser Phoenix's Knights and his little sister.

As we got closer I could feel the little Phoenix's gaze getting deeper and deeper on me. I can tell this is something troublesome but something that I'll go through. Thinking about it, it was probably good that Skittles didn't want to show himself to the kid or these Phoenixes would have seen him. Upon getting even closer, I could see a single Katana on the table next to where Sirzechs stood with the three girls. It's power was definitely there but it felt lacking, that though is probably due to the swords I'm used to.

"We didn't disturb your 5 hour sprint did we?"

"Well … your request didn't at least."

"Still as cold as ever Aoi-chan."

I took to my usual dead panned expression when Sirzechs called me cold, it's become a typical occurrence between the two of us. Also, it feels like I see him around here too much. He really should be doing work.

"Rias said you wanted to speak to me."

"I did. How would you like to have a fight with Raiser-kun's two Knights?"

"Yeah sure, it can make up for me missing half an hour of sprinting. Though may I ask about the shoddy Katana on the table?"

The moment I called it shoddy I saw the young drills gape a little as the two knights looked a little pissed off. Sirzechs, as much as he irritates me, just laughed in response. One of few reasons why I like the guy, he loves to laugh.

"The 'Shoddy' Katana is a sort of offering from Ravel Phoenix. The young Phoenix who has come today with the two Knights."

I simply raised my eyebrows in question.

"I don't know whether to feel hurt or just be my usual self of not giving a shit. Surely as a Noble, an offering of much better quality should be more feasible. No, no, surely as a member of the Wealthiest clan you can afford to give away something better."

"You really do have a sharp tongue Aoi-chan, you aren't even this harsh with me though."

"You haven't given me a lump of silver shit though. Plus I don't use demonic weapons as is, they are just a hassle for how I fight."

"That doesn't matter. You could just accept it gracefully."

"I'm not graceful in the slightest. Anyway, I'll accept it so we can stop … whatever it is we are doing right now."

Walking to the table, I took a hold of the grip and instantly I felt both annoyed and disappointed. While it did have the Phoenix-style enchantment on it, it was pretty pitiful and I don't mean compared to Skittles and the Phoenix Blade of mine. It'd be stupid to compare it to that but this … frankly I think it's mean to call it a sword. Sharp stick will suffice for this thing.

Lifting it up, the weight was all off. It felt like the whole thing had been hollowed out so a newborn could lift it. I couldn't help but grimace at it, more so when Skittles started to get irate in my head.

_'As much as I want to burn whichever jackass created such a pitiful sword into ashes, let's take the spar in our stride. They are members of Phoenix even if it's just through the Evil Pieces, I can feel the resemblance even if it's slight. Exposure such as this could prove beneficial, compare this spar to something like 'Double Exp'.'_

'Hmm … I see. What if I fought the Drills?'

_'Well, we both know that there is no chance that she will join the fight but if she were … then perhaps '16x Exp'. If it was Raiser Phoenix then it'd be even more. While the difference is substantial, the reason why is painfully obvious. You have already got the Fire and Wind magic down plus your regeneration has started to become more Phoenix-like, we are well on our way. We may cut it close but we don't really need to fight a Phoenix to do it, if my calculations are correct anyway.'_

Looking at Raiser's Knights I see that they take themselves off to one side of the garden. I stayed exactly where I stood next to the table while the others just moved to sit down. Staying here gives me the lead in this fight, I get to start the fight whenever I'm ready because a simple late dodge is possible here and the outcome of that would be pretty bad.

_'Oi, start off with the Lightning Teleporting.'_

'Skittles, you know that completely drains my magic. It's the only thing outside of Shakkoukan that I can use Holy magic for and it's really diluted in power.'

_'So? It's not like we need magic to beat them both. The Blastia doesn't use magic after all, it's Ki and Spirit.'_

'...I see. Do you think we could create bars for that? Like in RPGs so I can see my Ki and Magic reserves.'

_'Well … imagination makes anything possible so you probably could but that'd heavily decrease our training as we have no idea where to go. That idiot still feels like he owes you despite what he has given you so far, ask him for it as a favour. He is supposedly friends with Beelzebub who is the creator of all things ridiculous in the Underworld.'_

'You really don't like the Satans do you?'

_'I just don't like anyone really. You are growing on me but you'd have to to save me from insanity.'_

'Thanks Skittles. I'll just do the Lightning Teleporting then.'

Summoning my sacred gear, I started to bounce lightly on the ground. Apparently, seen as the Phoenix Blade was an external thing the Fire and Wind didn't count as my affinity so I got an affinity which resembles Knights the most and that was Thunder/Lightning magic due to frightening speed. Still though, I'm pretty horrible with it. No real progress in about 3 months in between trying with Fire and Wind. Luckily once I create a move or technique, I instantly know it perfectly and can always do it. That's thanks to the Blastia.

The only reason why I was able to be successful with this move was the basis behind it all. Something I created after Kurokami Phantom in Medaka Box. While the end result is different through being able to use magic, it's still pretty similar. Disappear and appear again. Of course there is more to it but I don't really understand it, I'm just following what I saw.

Once I got my body in sync with the level, I disappeared from view and a roar came from the sky. A few seconds of me disappearing from this plain of existence and as the bolt of Lightning struck down in between the two Knights I appeared again in the centre of the blast.

The two Knights were able to get away but not without getting hit by the sparks that ricocheted off from impact.

'Haaaah … depleted after one move yet again.'

Standing straight back up, I instantly throw myself backwards and activate the magic circles in my boots to allow me to slide across the ground and then pressing the front of my feet down into the ground to cut off the circles and slow myself down just in front of the far wall of the garden.

Seeing the smaller knight charge first, I joined in and went straight towards her pushing the taller one to the back of my mind. Pushing myself down low, I bring the sword upwards to clash with the Knight's sword. Following with my left hand scrunched into a fist, I send it straight into the armour plating of the Knight's breastplate to get a feel for it's durability.

The Knight skips back as a light humming sound comes from the now vibrating breastplate. She also seemed to be in slight discomfort, until hearing it from her straight I'll just assume that it's in response to the lingering holy aura at the impact area. Flipping the grip on the Katana, I bring it back across my body to catch the sword of the taller knight who attacked from my left side. I felt my body being forced downwards as soon as the two swords clashed, I had no chance against her in strength plus the shock waves that came with the hit gave me little chance to respond before I could be forced into the stationary position.

Fearing the double-team, I summoned the pistol in my left blastia to hand and fired it straight at the Knight I clashed with first to keep her from attacking and to force the knight who was pushing me down to jump back herself from fear of an up close shot of the Holy gun.

Standing myself back up I could feel my knees starting to get a little weak. While I've gotten used to the 5 hours of pure sprinting, the complete loss of magic and the power coupled with the shock waves is not good for my legs.

'Skittles, do we have free pockets for this Katana?'

_'Nope, Crimson ain't given you a pocket dimension yet. Though that is because you have been training constantly and when you aren't, you are showering, eating or sleeping. No real chance for her to.'_

Way to make it sound like my fault.

Juggling the handle about lightly in my hand, I came to a single thought of what to do. Scrunching my face up slightly, I launched the sword straight up into the air as hard as I could and summoned the pistol in my right Blastia to hand. Throwing it over to my left hand, I took them both into my left hand and stretched my finger over so it could cover both triggers. Catching the Katana on it's way down, I gave the gun's a testing squeeze and felt my arm raise slightly from the added kickback. Still, it wasn't too bad.

_'Oh … Twin Bullets. That's pretty dangerous you know. Are you intending to kill someone during a friendly spar? Have you taken to me that well? I shouldn't be so surprised. I am a Phoenix. The Phoenix. You'd follow suit either way.'_

The area around me started to darken as wisps of fire burned into life, dancing and circling around my body. Each one was a different colour, multiple shades of each base colour burst into life. Controlled rainbow flames burst into life around my feet, the tip of the flame fluctuating in size as it flowed to an inaudible beat.

_'Lookie here, you really are becoming more like me. A True Phoenix Flame is not hot but instances of pure beauty. It can be freezing cold but still be there, dancing in the idle breeze.'_

The Katana that occupied my right hand started to tremble. An instinct built in through the nature of Fire and Wind. A small sort of reverence from the spirits within. An act that only one other person around here would understand and that isn't a supposed Phoenix but a supposed Lucifer. A bit of knowledge that's as old as the Great War itself, knowledge that's as old as the Three Faction's Calamity. Reasons for extinction.

_'You finally understanding now brat? The legend of Ho-oh, even within the Phoenix itself the legend of Ho-oh stands tall. The famed FengHuang from the South of China is the only one who stood close. Her legend though was a lasting one, mine was not so lasting.'_

The spirits in the Katana were slowly but surely being overruled by the presence of the rainbow wisps. The guns nervously shivered in my left hand, while not Fire or Wind themselves they understood the strange foreboding feeling.

_'You can't become something you don't understand, that goes the same for fusing anything. You can't put two things together if you don't understand their initial selves and the product you are trying to create. You never tried to learn about the Phoenix or about me but you are starting to act like I do. A simple thing isn't it?'_

The Katana forced itself out of my grip and flew away from me, embedding itself in the ground. A vibrating echo quietly reverberates throughout the garden accompanied by a slight breeze.

_'Unworthy. To offer a Phoenix something like that is almost laughable. To offer the master of both something so pitiful is ridiculous. You are slowly becoming a Phoenix, my body to live in the new world. My conflagration to the unknown. This current state though, it is also something pitiful. It's weak. I wonder how more knowledge would affect it.'_

The flames that shook around my feet grew frustrated at that thought. The initial lack of heat was now gone, their temperature steadily rising. A point which didn't go unnoticed by Skittles as he heaved a slight sigh.

_'To strive for knowledge is to strive for the truth. You understand that, right Lesbo? Do you want to learn more about Ho-oh and the Phoenix?'_

'I do.'

_'Very well then. Let's start with me then. The Rainbow Phoenix. Your typical Phoenix is tricoloured. Red, orange and white. The biggest and in turn the strongest and most beautiful are made up of seven colours. Red, Orange, White, Green, Purple, Gold and Silver. The only colour which differed is the red, a lighter one for Males and a darker one for Females. As the Rainbow Phoenix, my colours were more profound and stood out more than others who were primarily red. I was, at most, two-fourteenths red. Two-fourteenths green. One-fourteenths white. One-fourteenths purple. Two-fourteenths orange. Three-fourteenths gold and also Three-fourteenths silver. It was peculiar to other Phoenix but to the humans, it was considered a blessing. All the colours were bright and they shone under the sun's rays. I could create rainbows as I flew. A single dropped feather could grant eternal happiness. Unlike the FengHuang, my legend didn't have a true origin. With no nation to take full credit, I was coined as the 'Legend of the Sky'.'_

The area around me started to lighten back up, my body becoming visible again to the people here in the garden. The flames around my feet intensifying further.

_'The Phoenix itself is Immortal but the powers differed at the beginning. The Phoenix who had it's origin as an Angel had an eternal lifespan therefore didn't have the powers that were ours. Our lifespan was never eternal, when we came to the end of our lives we would descend into Ash to be reborn anew. That was our Immortality. We would encroach upon death then retreat. The Angel Phoenix took it literally in a way, of course our Immortality isn't what Immortality is truly described at. It's merely a tool to unnerve our opponents. The instant regeneration is what the Angel took from our abilities, in essence it's actually kinda similar but the Angel and now the Devil do not retreat into Ash near death to begin anew. They just die. Imagination is something strong, very strong. Imagination is also what you'd called 'Awake Dreaming' or 'Daydreaming'. Because of the Angel and Devil Phoenix, we true Phoenix were hunted and eradicated or enslaved because of that regeneration. Over time, as our numbers dwindled, a miracle took shape. That regeneration became ours. Our bodies were covered in the Ash of our fallen comrades, their Ash seeped into our bodies and our essence. Our bodies became part Ash and so when we were hurt or bleeding, that part of our body would retreat like we would near death and simply begin anew. Thanks to the Angel and now Devil Phoenix, our remaining numbers became 'Creatures of Eternity' and 'Creatures of True Immortality' because while we were considered Immortals before, our Ash could be sweeped away during the process or stopped before we could reach the Ash and actually die.'_

The flames around me flickered and started to die out. The flames around my feet just calmed down while continuing to flow, dropping down their temperature.

_'It's the simple reason for being sealed. The others went into hiding, the FengHuang is revered by Southern China and thus protected but I was the 'Legend of the Sky'. No one had claim over me and so I was hunted and captured, sealed within this blade so they could manipulate my power. Humans have the power to surpass Gods through simple Ideas and Ingenuity but it's very hard to follow through with it. They didn't know why it wouldn't work and so they tried to understand why it wouldn't work. Kinda ironic don't you think? They tried to understand the wrong thing and thus never knew how to wield my power.'_

I opened my right hand and the Katana flew back. The spirits' nerves were calmed and rejoicing in the new bond between us and the spar begun anew.

_'Power is not so cheap that it'll just be granted to you. God was smart to put that point into the Sacred Gears. You have to work for it.'_

Raiser's Knight both flew at me. The taller one with her Zweihander raised above her head and the smaller knight with her sword now ablaze down to her left, reared back ready for a sweeping motion.

_'Practice makes Perfect. It's a concept that humans thought up but did they stick to it? No, no one could.'_

Pointing my pistols upwards, I squeezed the triggers once and shot the Zweihander to topple the taller knight's balance and momentum. Turning my body to the other knight, I charged at her myself causing the flames at my feet to enrage.

_'Greed. Humans, while beings who were made from a blank slate, could succumb to the seven sins. Their temptations are much more inviting than anything else, it's why they are called 'Sins'.'_

Swinging the Katana straight down into my opponent's, I felt the Katana wobble about within my grip. My sword was definitely the weaker one and the metal's composition was definitely below the other's level but the spirits in mine had the stronger mindset. They were being used by the zenith of their position, they were being used by a true Phoenix even if that was just in essence right now.

The spirits fought to keep the blade snugly within my grip and locked itself in with my opponent's blade.

_'But you aren't like that. Yes, you do succumb to some sins but you aren't ignorant of the truth. You have just yet to learn it. You were never ignorant of me within this blade, you even reached out to me much like your father did. He learned to understand me, threw himself into it even. He could easily manipulate my flames and wind but the fusion never crossed his mind. Neither did it for you, as of course, you are his daughter. But the idea was mentioned to you and did you get greedy at the pleasant sound of it? You did not. It wasn't something that you didn't care for, it wasn't something that you saw as just a hassle. You just saw the hardwork of training a hassle, my power itself was something you looked forward to.'_

As I squeezed the triggers again, my opponent jumped back to dodge the two lethal shots I had sent her chest's way.

_'It's why I like you Aoi. It's why we can get along like we do. Your disrespect is fun because while I value my position like these devils do, I am not so stingy that I'll get truly annoyed at someone's lack of it. That is because my respect came from something I did. Most of these devil's received this respect from birth. But answer me this Aoi. What do you prefer, a Nine-headed Dragon or a Phoenix?'_

Despite saying that he laughed in my mind, he knew I wouldn't and couldn't answer that. Both things were too close to me for choosing between.

_'By the way, your magic has recharged enough for two Shakkoukans. Obliterate something.'_

And his moods has receded back to destroying something … fun.

Forming a magic circle under my feet, I pushed a little bit of magic into it to throw my body backwards and I landed next to the devils who were watching the fight. Slotting the Katana down into the dirt, I re-summoned my gloves to hand and pushed off from the ground evoking my Knight traits as the two white balls of destructive holy aura took form.

Both knights came at me but took notice of the Holy magic just as we closed in on each other. Just as I was pushing both hands forward to collide with their bodies, they started to stop themselves to get away from the crazy act I was bringing into a spar.

"Shakkoukan!"

As I thrust the two balls forwards striking against my opponent's respective blades the two balls exploded and with, for some reason, dramatic effect. Wind whipped up around the outside of the blast and sent gusts of condensed air throughout the grounds.

The swords of the two knights broke immediately taking the brunt of the force but didn't stop it completely as they were both sent flying backwards into far wall of the garden, striking it with a resounding thud. Small streams of smoke billowed up and off their bodies as the residual holy aura picked at their bodies which lay in a small pile of rubble not moving an inch.

The wind whipping up around me, it blows the resulting smoke of the explosion aside to show me the full unmoving forms of the two enemy knights. A deep yet regal clucking chuckle echoes in the back of my mind, so much so it got close to a maniacal sounding laugh.

With my magic being fully depleted once again, I could feel the strain on my body. A heavy weight dropping on my body as the adrenaline high was coming down and the effects of my earlier training taking hold on my tired body. I dropped down to the floor, roughly onto my butt and let out a single dry pant of exhaustion.

_'Lesbo … no Aoi, remember. Knowledge is just as powerful as strength is. Combine them and you can truly be strong. Your parents are always watching over you. Protecting you in the forms of myself and your battle attire. Don't get complacent with just this or you'll become like those who wish for your respect but don't receive it. Never stop learning.'_

'You can bet on it. Let's continue getting along. Ho-oh.'

* * *

**Aaaaaand done.  
Phoenix is something which I like a lot. That goes for most exotic animals and Mythological creatures really.  
I'm sure it shows in my stories too. A Phoenix is something that defies logic.  
It's a flurry of colours that exude an unparalleled beauty. It's a creature of Royalty with a fitting regal appearance.  
So i wanted to give it a somewhat fitting backstory and hopefully i did so.  
**

**The fight itself, hopefully i showed you what i mean about her power level.  
Three months of pure training get her to a level which she can destroy the two knights even after already training that day.  
It goes within reason really especially with her Sacred Gear but it's not Issei level weird for training, something i still don't get.  
I know that the Boosted Gear can make weaker people very strong quickly but they need stamina for it and a strong body.  
It's mentioned that Issei is very weak and below average. There isn't even a month between defeating Raynare and fighting Raiser.  
To this i'm meaning the actual Rating Game. He had ten days of definite training and some early morning work outs before.  
So how was he able to keep up with Raiser's peerage and defeat most of them even if they were not taking him very seriously?  
How could he take the blows from the Neko-twin pawns so well after already being very tired from unleashing a dragon shot?  
It truly baffles me and i've gone on too long for it -.-**

**The opening canon arc will be changed appropriately with it's finale near enough completely changed.  
It's not really something that fits in with this character so it'll be dealt with accordingly.**

**Anywho, Ciao!**


	4. Stray Cause

**Fourth~!**

* * *

It was finally the last day of our stay in the Underworld for the summer holiday. Really it was just a complete hassle, no other way to put it really. At least I was able to get a lot of training in and become accustomed with Skittles. I can't help but call him Skittles, it's just habit now and I find myself using it more than I do Ho-oh but I am trying even if it's only a little amount.

The somewhat unfortunate thing about today is that I can't train. Before this trip I might have been happier about this break but now that it's all routine and I actually started to get into a groove so I could enjoy it, I'm not that happy about it. My body feels like protesting to it and forcing me to go and do something but no, right now I'm stuck here with the others doing some bonding. Well, supposed to be anyway.

_'Aoi, why are we still here?'_

'Orders?'

_'...Let me rephrase it then, why haven't you zoned out yet?'_

'I'm getting there.'

_'Hmm … Maybe I should burn the Red-head.'_

Shaking my head slightly, I loosened up a bit in the chair that I sat on along with Koneko who seemed to be happily munching on some biscuits but not bothering to join in on conversation.

Koneko is quiet through being stoic but I'm quiet through being superficial really. The quiet me is the usual me, the relaxed me. I grew up being quiet, no one was really around for me to speak to. Both Mother and Father worked most of the time, even when they got home they were still doing something work related. This isn't to say that what I am like is a front because that implies that it's fake and fragile, how I am with others so openly is the small part of me that remained. The outgoing side of me but it was stressful, the whole reason why I took on the odd jobs of defeating random stray devils around and learning to use a sword. It relieved that stress.

Being in this group makes me question my look as it is what my 'front' would be based on. I still have long hair but I'm more boyish, when males or females comment on my looks it's always tomboyish or bishounen instead of bishoujo. It's something I can play on easily but with this group it seems so … normal i'd say. I can't play on it the same, especially with Koneko and her Rook strength, i'd be halfway through the drywall every single time. All I have left was the stubborn and disobedient aspect, that however could only come into play with respect and order, something that Rias wasn't so stern about as she thought of us all as her family. Meaning I had to build a relationship with them all, something outside of what I already was set as but before I could even realise that I needed to do that the Phoenix thing came into play. Turning to training before I thought about anything else pushed me out of the group, so to say.

I don't dislike being on the outside of the group and not actively conversing with them all but there is a hole in it for me, there is something in the whole nuance that I want to be apart of with. Then again, when the point of a conversation turned my way through them trying to involve me or just typical sway there was something off. There was some kind of tension in it. Skittles said there was regret in the air but I don't know why, the only possible thing could be the engagement but in what aspect, I couldn't think of it. Whether I was subconsciously missing a point out I didn't know but I found myself moving away from it when I thought about it.

When I thought that there had to be a way that I could join in, I found myself being unable to think of a single thing. My hobbies were practically non-existent, the only hobby was reading through the notes that my parents left behind and trying to use them in some way. It's also hard to really call that an actual hobby.

"...Aoi..."

Looking out the corner of my eye, I saw Koneko looking up at me holding out a small cookie towards me. Her stoic expression was in full force like always but she could still show her desired emotion simply through her eyes at times like this. She held a small hint of worry in her hazel eyes.

The one true friend I had and we both still held secrets from each other, simply because we wouldn't pursue the truth with each other although I can bet that we both have a general gist of it all. Over the past few weeks here in the Underworld, I've finally got Koneko to talking like a normal person though it can be very brief and only in private with me. We both know the secrets that live underneath the surface of each other but we never told each other we know, not even just to confirm it. A mutual understanding between the two of us, one which did make Koneko irk when I made the 'Kitty' comment but it was also something that she could fully understand. I knew of the Youkai and more importantly the Neko variants through my father's notes so I knew she understood that I didn't think differently because of it and would be her friend throughout, I learned that through her expression. Despite the fact that her expression stayed stoic, there was a small lift within it. What I could see was a slightly noticeable curve of her mouth, a barely noticeable smile when we were around each other.

"Thanks Neko-chan."

Taking the cookie straight from her hand using my mouth, I flashed her a quick smile before reverting back and wearing my own neutral, stoic expression. As I bit down into the cookie, I cringed slightly. Too sweet as always, glazed honey and so much sugar you could cause a dentist to pass out at the mere mention of it. Koneko's sweet tooth knows no bounds.

_'Aoi, I've been thinking. We could implement the Red-head's birth magic into our attacks.'_

'Huh? Power of Destruction do you mean?'

_'Yes, while it wouldn't be exactly the same it's pretty close. Fire is the closest equivalent in all areas, the only point being that it leaves a pile of ashes afterwards but if we combined it with the wind the wind could sweep it all or at least scatter it so it's unnoticeable. Then there is the Evil Piece that's inside of you.'_

'Yeah, I get you so far.'

_'Well, to say that you gained an affinity for lightning through becoming a devil is wrong. Back when I was with your father, I remember him saying that your mother often relied on Lightning magic for combat. I think becoming a devil simply just made the application for it easier, changing it from Human affinity to Devil affinity. What if the Red-head's Evil Pieces pass on her Destruction in the form of a trait, making the damage you cause more destructive?'_

That's certainly one way to look at it but it is as possible as it is impossible. Even the creator knows little about the Evil Pieces themselves as they are things which wholly depend on their King. The only ways to find out would be to try it out and to have them tested for that trait.

'Uh-huh, I see your point but how does it fit in with before?'

_'Well I was thinking about application, that was something you needed to work on as it's your style. How to apply the new 2-handed style to fit your fighting style. We already have Shakkoukan so what about making the Demonic version of it through the use of the Fire, Wind and possible destructive trait inherited?'_

That's actually pretty damn smart but isn't there already a way around that?

'If I remember rightly, isn't there such a thing as Explosion magic?'

_'Of course but that's just a simulated explosion so all that's given as damage is the shock wave that results from an explosion, it's nowhere near as destructive as what I'm thinking of. The destructive trait can create the true explosion, the fire magic can then create the burning heat that comes from the chemicals igniting and the wind can be both the shrapnel sending out sharp winds along with gales that can be used as shock waves. All in all, it's a way to use an actual Explosion using magic but as you can guess it would exhaust you to create even a small one, just like Shakkoukan did.'_

Yeah, there is also that side of things.

Since acquiring that shoddy blade from the daughter of Phoenix, her name escapes me despite the scrumptious face she has, and hitting the first stage of combining with Skittles or should I say Ho-oh, he has become a lot nicer or though it may be easier to say that topics he brought up couldn't steer towards his usual way of acting. He has seemed to dive head-first into this whole combination thing, looking for ways to apply my abilities.

It's been pretty nice actually.

_'We might as well try it, it's a use for my Phoenix powers so it could prove well to at least try it out.'_

'Sure thing, well it'll be harder to try destructive things in the human world unless we are fighting strays. I'll have to ask Rias about being able to do solo missions.'

Without hearing a reply, I felt Skittles' presence wane as he probably goes back to sleeping.

As I turned my attention back to the room, I could tell it wasn't any more different than when I had left it. It did seem a little bit more cheerful though, if the new batch of tea and biscuits were anything to go by. As always though, a spare cup was left empty for me. I was not one for drinking really, I only ever drank water or a form of energy drink after exercising. Still though, I don't know whether the cup was left out in hope that I would join in with them or just because of courtesy. Not that it matters to me.

…

I never got to do training, actually pretty disappointed with it. After we finished up with our bonding time, we were to clean-up or whatever and then we were all eating together one last time before we left back for the human world. Supposedly Lucifer, Grayfia and their kid were gonna be here too. More people for me not to talk to, how fun!

Walking back into my room from the conjoining bathroom, I look at the set of clothes on the bed. It was a set of clothes that I was quite frankly surprised at, it turned out that what I saw during the shopping spree was only about half of what Rias and Akeno had acquired for me. As it would turn out, they had acquired lots of tomboyish clothes for me and also some clothes that can be used during exercise. Not gonna thank them for it all but I do appreciate that they actually bought something I would use.

A faded black scoop vest and denim shorts which looked a little rough and their pockets stuck out, somehow though the shorts were a white denim. No idea how they get them so white either. From there I put my white thigh-high boots on but temporarily taking the thigh part off so they were just knee high before flopping down onto the bed to wait for a maid to come and announce the food was ready.

'Skittles?'

_'What's up Lesbo?'_

Been a few days since he last said that, he must be in a cheerful mood right now.

'I was wondering whether reading any books would help. Like on Phoenix or Fire or Wind, maybe books on how to apply them.'

_'This isn't a game or an anime you know, Skill Books don't really exist. It's all about trial and error, you can only succeed by trying. It won't just pop up out of the blue like it would in a game. I know that said Skill Books would at least have instructions but still, it's just try and succeed.'_

'Then I should just continue as I am.'

_'Yes, it's for the best. To use the current topic, your fighting style isn't exactly textbook even for dual-wielding. While a book can be helpful, You in particular wouldn't get enough out of the time for it to be considered worthwhile. I don't really want to say it but in this case, you are better off playing games to find moves you'd like to try. So you could use it as your breaks. Though I think our only real problem at the moment is true experience. Spars can only go so far, you'll never get to a sufficient point through training alone. We'll need to do Stray Hunts and ones when we are alone. Phoenix are Regal and Royal but they are also Solitary, we need to have each other's backs.'_

'I see but that's not very likely to happen.'

_'If there wasn't a real case behind it then i'd agree but they can't truly say no, even the Red-head. She wants out and you acquiring the Phoenix form is the only way she has at the moment, she'll have to let us do it no matter what. She'd have to put up with whatever emotions because of it, take it in your stead. There could be some heavy petting as thanks.'_

Now that does sound pretty good. Also thinking about it, the points from the stray hunt would all go straight to me rather than being distributed within the group plus doing even more would quicken the process for getting my own harem. Hmm.

_'You've got a good thought going there Lesbo, everyone needs a strong dream to strive for. Pursue it all the way, maybe if the Red-head gives you a present for helping her out you can ask for the Kitty Cat.'_

Oooh, true.

'Though when we show the form, what will happen?'

_'Well, first off Devils are greedy creatures that want power if they see it and will do whatever they can to have it. There are multiple scenarios. One being the Phoenix try to adopt you, little blood transfusion to signal a family bond but then you'd probably have to dye your hair and wear coloured contacts unless there is such thing as a process to actually induct you in as a true member, who knows on that front. Second being the engagement moves to you but with Raiser, who knows they may change that as of your preferences to beans rather than sausage. But there, there would be no resulting child so it'd be only in name I guess. Third, they might try to take me from you as only Phoenixes can have the power. Doubt the Red-head would be happy about that and I'm sure the shitty Lucifer wouldn't allow it either, additionally neither would you or I.'_

'So it's gonna be a hassle. I'm pretty sure how disrespectful I am will put them off a bit, hopefully they don't think they could try and control it in anyway.'

_'Well of course, everything about the Supernatural is a hassle of some kind. More often than not, it's not something worthwhile and is just fighting.'_

'You dealt with Devils when you weren't sealed?'

_'Once or twice, all for their own gain of course. A few random high-class devils wanting me so they could get into good books with the Phoenix clan and then a Pillar clan, Marchosias I think, wanted to acquire me and antagonize the Phoenix clan. Coincidentally, Devils have a height limit with their wings.'_

I guess that makes sense.

**Knock Knock**

"Aoi-sama, Dinner is ready."

I open my eyes at the sound of the maid's voice and quickly push myself off the bed and towards the door with a slight skip in my step. Bursting through the door, I saw that it was the leader of the maids who looked after us 'Servants'. Servants looking after servants, who'd have thought it. Though in all honesty, Grayfia runs a tight ship here with the maids as its too close to an army to be completely real. Maid squadrons throughout this castle with Grayfia being the lead General.

The maid then turned on her heel once she bowed and directed me, presumably the last one, to the dining area. A room which is beyond too big for what it's used for. I'd get it if it was also used for parties but it's not, it's odd.

Once entering the odd dining room, I rejoiced slightly. Maids standing by with tea carts, huge table littered with exquisite looking food and plenty of succulent meat. The food is one definite that was great about this trip to the Underworld, though the Underworld was certainly more bleak than I expected. It didn't really have any pizazz.

And like everyday so far, I was last to reach the room and sit down in my seat between Kiba and Koneko. Inquisitive but short gazes sent my way when they noticed I was in clothes that weren't my white exorcist gear. A small look of what I could only think as triumph cropped up onto both Rias' and Akeno's faces.

Then we all begun eating in silence, something I didn't quite understand. Up until halfway through our meals, we would eat in an eerie and almost creepy silence. The only sounds being forks hitting plates and the occasional sound of a loud chewer. Why not just talk from the start?

"So … Aoi-chan, how is your training coming along?"

Looking up from my food, I looked around the table slightly frantically as I didn't even really hear whose voice it was and just the words. Upon looking around I saw that it was Lucifer who had spoken to me.

"Actually, that was something I wanted to speak about."

Putting my cutlery down on the plate, effectively finishing as I still don't really know why they give me tomatoes when I've said multiple times I won't eat one, I noticed that rather than our portion of the table had turned to listen that everyone at the table had turned to listen as per the norm when Lucifer speaks.

"Oh, and that is?"

"All I need now is experience, Ho-oh says sparring and training will only get me so far so I need to put my training into action. So I would like to ask if I can take up some Stray Devil hunts, even if they are outside of where we live in Japan. And as per the details Ho-oh has given me, I need to be alone when taking them on."

Lucifer's smile shifted slightly, the corner of his mouth seemed to screw up.

"I'm thankful that you'd put so much effort and be willing to do this but is there any less dangerous method?"

"Possibly but I haven't asked Ho-oh, not that he would tell me. A real Phoenix's life was to be endangered and solitary while being revered. I have to reach similar aspects to achieve a fusion. As of Japan's estranged manga and anime culture, I am revered for reasons I enjoy playing on."

"What about having one of my peerage watch your first few stronger stray devil hunts?"

I closed my eyes as I sighed lightly.

"That's not solitary. They would be then in the guise of scoring me and my methods with the potential to help out if things go south. That would not be me there, alone. It's not like I'm going trade deaths at all. If it gets dangerous I'll run, if they have speed around mine or higher then I can just use 'Lightning Teleport' to jump randomly and use that time they try to find me if they do to teleport away. Plus I have Holy Weapons and am finally getting the hang of syncing the Phoenix Blade with my Sacred Gear so it's a Pseudo-Holy Sword right now."

"...How about this? I'll let you do ones that Ria-tan would take her full peerage for alone and then see from the reports whether we can chance giving you stronger opponents. Currently Ria-tan takes her peerage on C-B rank Stray hunts."

'Ho-oh, how about it?'

_'Well, while it's not ideal all we have left is experience and stray hunts can be hard to come by at times because they are designated by Clan Heads for the regions. Remember, Duke Agares could underplay a Stray to get us hurt or worse. Change it up and ask for any and all across Japan then with every 5 complete you can do a A-class or higher.'_

The middleman between the strongest Devil and only remaining Phoenix … Not as great as it could be or sound.

"What about this then? I will do any and all stray hunts around Japan, and with every 5 that I do I'm allowed to hunt an A-class or higher."

I saw his smile twitch again, he was having fun I guess.

"That is a more doable request Aoi-chan. Let's go with that then. We will notify you when a stray appears."

"Thanks."

And now all I can do is wait. Resting back into the seat, I let out a short yawn only to put my hand to my mouth after I had finished yawning.

The rest of the dinner then only held idle chatter and a soft, almost worried gaze that Rias sent me right after talking with Lucifer.

That night was off, way too loving for me. That really being jealousy of having no family left but after seeing it a whole lot these past few months and also experiencing some of the warmth first hand it also doesn't feel so bad. Seeing others having a happy family or receiving familial warmth like this. It's not so bad. A place to call home whenever I wanted, a castle full of beautiful maids who will tend to me, a huge garden to train in. It's envious.

Though, I'm not really sure i'd have preferred to have be born into a family like this. It doesn't fit me, of course if I was born into a family like me I would have had it drilled into me at an early stage and not gotten away with it to the point I have. All I really need is Ho-oh and a single close friend, I've got by with it so far.

As I stood with Kiba, Koneko and Akeno waiting for Rias to say her goodbyes so we could teleport back to the human realm, I felt bored and slightly disappointed that we would be going back. Not that I was going to show that.

The farewell itself was simple. Despite the fact that the Gremory clan was so kind, we decided to completely forgo say bye and instead both Kiba and Akeno just bowed. A typical familial response would have came if we did say goodbye but we all chose not to for our own various reasons.

I couldn't help but scrunch up my eyebrows when we were teleporting away. I felt like I was leaving something important behind.

* * *

**And done~!  
**

**Character development and describing her looks a bit more.  
Her looks aren't something set, not really good for me to set it.  
A vague description like i've given is best for her, it's nothing too flashy by being vague.**

**That something important is mind-based rather than physical.  
That's all for today.**

**Ciao~!**


	5. Rivals in Uniforms

**Chapter 5~**

* * *

Winter.

A season that I never got along with very well, even more so when it came to Skittle's constant badgering about how cold is his nemesis and that we should create bonfires all over town. Since becoming a devil, I hardly noticed that the seasons had changed and that it grew colder. The everyday winter temperature was nothing to me.

It was also a weird season this year. Coming back from the Underworld and being a devil, Middle school didn't feel so right anymore. It felt beneath me but not at being conceited but through maturity. My body felt older and stronger, I had drilled a routine into my body and now I had to change back to how it was. It was an odd feeling to cope with, luckily though I had the ever stoic Koneko by my side throughout.

Autumn had passed by relatively uneventful. Only one stray to hunt and it was at the level I killed when I was still human so it wasn't that different but it felt strange. The feeling of ending that life now felt good. Before it was just something that was needed to be done but now I felt happy doing it, killing them and eradicating them from existence. Knight speed and Shakkoukan, that was all that was needed to be done.

Completely uneventful.

…

On a random Sunday during December, I found myself hauled off to Kuoh Academy, the school which was about to turn Co-ed. I had received my uniform and was a little unsure about it, the skirt was a little too short and I didn't want the ribbon so I opted to actually pay for the tie as the tie wasn't part of the set.

Trying the uniform on was not the best as my arm and heart hurt afterwards because unlike Koneko, my chest had grown a bit. Now while my breasts weren't the ridiculous size of Rias' or Akeno's mine were still slightly larger than average, a small problem considering that I have the more Bishounen appeal. Wearing the tie could only amplify them as it rested in-between my chest like it was being sucked in, tucking the end of it into the waist-cape that came with the uniform but deciding to opt out of using the shoulder cape.

Giving my body an all-round stretch, I decided that the short skirt wasn't actually that bad as I quite frankly didn't care, never had. It was like an instinct for me as a female. Patting the skirt down slightly, I looked up to both Rias and Akeno who were standing in front of me, Koneko and Kiba in the club room at Kuoh Academy. The club was the Occult Research Club and was the only club situated in the Old School Building, also the only school related thing that remains in the Old School building. They looked at us, gauging us as we wore the uniforms. Kinda early in my eyes but who cares.

"Good. The three of you look great."

"Thanks, Rias-sama."

Rias' eyes seem to brighten up at being called that.

"When the three of you start next school year, you will all be immediately accepted into the Occult Research Club so call me Buchou from now on."

Buchou? That's pretty close to Banchou. There is a possibility of me getting that title if I act out against the inevitable perverts. I'll stick to just Rias.

"And so, the first order of business is to get used to fighting in uniform. The clubroom is our base so we will be staying in these clothes a lot, it's best to get used to them now."

She is being awfully leader-like today.

**knock knock**

Accompanied to the knock was the sound of the doors to the clubroom opening and people entering. As Koneko and Kiba turned to show their interest, I could only must up enough to angle my body slightly and then turn my head to look at them with a somewhat bland look and it was one that I could not stop from changing into slight jealousy.

The reason for the jealousy was because it was an all-girl peerage, something which I revered the King for slightly although I had no chance of getting along with said King. It was just a simple, no. The King was Sona Sitri and like Rias was the heiress to her clan but fortunately without a fiancé. I met her briefly during our stay in the Underworld, and by briefly I mean I just said hello before carrying on with my training. I don't know why but Rias had a strange habit of interrupting me to make me meet people that she knows full well I won't care about in the slightest. The problem was just that she couldn't to have us meet especially when all the times she interrupted me was when I didn't have that long left on my sprints.

But I digress, the peerage was a little bleak compared to ours in the term of power but the girls were nothing to scoff at. They were all well above average but I did see a rival in the midst. A fellow tomboy although she was slightly taller, buffer and had a smaller chest so … I've practically lost already. Ah well, at least my chest means I'll get the boy's vote over her in the fight.

"So what was it that you wanted Rias?"

Straight to the point, nice.

"To help my servants get used to fighting in our uniform, a friendly spar between my three servants and three of yours."

"I see, a friendly spar is fine by me. Then i'd like to test three of my own against specific opponents. Tsubaki against Kiba-kun, Tomoe-san against Koneko-chan and finally Yura-kun against Aoi-chan. That's fine by you, right Rias?"

"Of course Sona, I've been looking forward to seeing how Aoi will do against someone who doesn't wield a sword."

The answer there is to preferably not wield a sword myself but alas, I won't mention that.

"Is my Sacred Gear allowed?"

"As long as you control its potency then you are ok."

I give a short nod in reply. My first proper fistfight, this'll be fun although it won't exactly be a fist fight. At least I finally get to try out 'Aura of the Saints' Paladin form. It is supposedly the stage between base form and Balance Breaker according to my father's notes and form armour of some sort though a chestplate or a shield has never been produced. I look forward to my own.

Looking to my fellow tomboy, I could see the slight smirk on her face. While I didn't have the muscle that she did along with the rook enhancement, I could tell that she was underestimating me to the point that a single hit could … no from that smirk i'd guess its would take me out. I don't tease Koneko just for kicks.

…

Our spars went in order of how they were said back in the clubroom. Kiba and Tsubaki first, then it was Koneko and Tomoe followed by me and my fellow tomboy. The scores, for whatever reason were locked in at one a piece, Tsubaki beating Kiba and Koneko absolutely destroying Tomoe. Not to say Tomoe was bad, Koneko just wasn't in the mood for a drawn out spar and seen as it was a spar she could pressure it into being worse and force a stop.

That left it all down to us to decide the King with the strongest servants. Looking at this all objectively, we have already won due to our own Queen being fresh and the fact that Kiba nearly beat Tsubaki although I feel like he would have done much better in a killing allowed environment like the Rating Games.

Standing opposite Yura she stood there blandly, faint openings appearing all over her but they seemed to be traps with how they all intersected like she was allowing an opening for a blow so she could act back in earnest dealing a heavier blow, that's not something i'd want to take for a spar. Additionally was the slight armour she wore, the bracers and boots. They looked a little basic but the way they shone was off.

_'It's adamantine. Presumably that Sis-con Leviathan gave her sister's peerage some top-grade stuff to keep her safe seen as she can't smother her to death herself.'_

I can actually see that happening … Haaah.

Adamantine though. That's some sturdy stuff when used for armour. I guess I'll summon my own, half-baked holy counter will have to suffice.

Pushing my right side back slightly, I dropped my shoulders slightly and muttered _'Paladin'_ under my breath.

A soft wind breathed into life around my four limbs. A soft but warm holy glow and warmth took to them as my Sacred Gear begun to manifest itself in Paladin form. Over my hand I felt them lock into my blastias, white fingerless gloves took shape over my hands while sapphire blue caps appeared over the top of my knuckles. Creamy white plate boots clinked into existence around my feet and lower legs, lifting me up off the ground by an extra inch. Small sapphires formed around my ankles with a single bigger sapphire taking its place towards the top of the boot where it arced upwards to protect my knees. Then a muffler appeared around my neck that was tall enough to easily cover my neck and mouth and then some but didn't do anymore than that, the ends strayed off behind me floating idly like a wind was keeping them up in the air and it was all completely blue just like the knuckle caps, a deep sapphire blue.

_'Aoi...'_

'Yeah Skittles?'

_'This Paladin form … What about it is like a Paladin, other than the boots of course.'_

'If you don't know then I don't know. Can't we just go with a Paladin being the church's top warrior meaning they wear armour?'

_'I don't want to dig deeper so let's just go with that.'_

As uninterested as ever, he should stop asking these questions if he doesn't care enough for the end result or answer.

"Aoi-chan, ready?"

I gave a light nod of my head to Rias' shout.

"Yura-kun, ready?"

"Hai, Sona-sama."

I let a dry smirk come to my face under the mask of the muffler at Yura's response. So she is either a tomboy in only looks or her master isn't so lax with her peerage.

Looking out the side of my vision, I saw Rias and Sona look to each other before nodding. As Rias went to raise a barrier, Sona opened her mouth.

"Begin."

As soon as I heard the word, I jumped backwards using my knight speed to flash out of view temporarily. Hitting back down on the ground, I pushed forwards into an arc creating a blur to give away my position. Taking note of Yura's line of vision, I dug a heavy right heel into the group breaking the blur and blowing it away creating a small distortion feeling my magic tick down slightly.

Forming my left hand into a claw, it blazed into life with a white flame with blue wisps. Seeing Yura bring her arms up into an 'X' shaped guard, I decided not to stop and feint but to carry on through and thrusted my open clawed hand straight into her guard creating a small dink before resonating into a small shock wave which pulsed through her arms and then outwards misplaying the flame and using spirits that took the shape of an open flame. As the shock wave pulsed out, I heard Yura grit her teeth from the pressure. Yura then seemed to have had enough of enduring and let go of her guard by forcing her own guard open and throwing both arms forwards causing the pressure to dissipate.

Looking straight down, I saw her balance shift and her left leg readying to rise and jumped back just in time to dodge her left leg as it cut clean through the air whipping up it's own pressure.

Allowing myself to skid back, I feel like I overplayed her level as a Rook. She was below Koneko but that was obvious, Koneko wasn't a human before being reincarnated and has been a devil for much longer. Even with those adamantine bracers, the experience is still a game changer. I didn't need to use the spirits to deal decent enough physical damage, she was still too green as a devil and this was where I could put into place the real power of a Knight.

I looked over towards Rias.

"Rias, Allow me to break your misconception of a knight … no a Devil's Knight. We are not chivalrous and by hell, blades should not be our weapon of choice."

I declared it openly before thrusting my left hand out and clenching it while turning it 90 degrees clockwise, churning up a piece of earth, the only piece of Earth magic I was able to learn. Turning back towards Yura, I dashed forwards a split second before she did and the Knight speed made all the difference.

Dropping down, my body blurred back into view and I took a hold of the bar-shaped root that had wrenched itself up out of the ground. Grabbing hold with the inside of my left hand facing me, I then grasped the root with my right hand facing Yura and quickly spun my body around letting my body drop before pulling myself in towards the root along with bringing my knees up and into my chest.

_'Do it.'_

With Ho-oh's order, I pushed out from the root and once I felt my bones clicked into full stretch I pushed my legs out as well like thrust them forwards like a piston cracking into Yura's late guard. A slight second of silence hit the grounds before a pulse breathed into life and quite literally blew up at Yura's guard sending out a shock wave followed by multiple gusts of wind.

Upon the explosion, I felt the resistance from Yura disappear and looking towards where she would have been I saw her further away, her arms still up in a guard but her body was blown back directly into a tree snapping it cleanly at it's trunk.

A strong, clean hit and something which would undoubtedly annoy chess players if it got out. The Evil pieces were based on the game chess and it's pieces along with the names given but that is all, only the Pawns and their Promotion are an extra so therefore, why should a Devil Knight have to run by the typical thought of a Knight? A chivalrous opponent who wages war with his sword and shield upon his steed, Devil's case being superior speed.

My interpretation being this, a Knight's power isn't really speed but leg strength. You are not the Rider who is the Knight but the Steed who is the Horse, or god forbid a child's view of Horsey. That was what I did, in my own way. I recreated a horse bucking using the upturned root as my bar to perform it, although it's also safe to call it a camel kick.

Knights need strong bodies to be able to take the speed and it's G-force. Knights need the leg muscles to improve their speed and agility. Without the leg muscle they don't have their speed, therefore a Knight's real enhancement is Leg strength … or so how I see it at least. Couple that with the fact that a blade freely fits any peerage position and it's actually a sound argument. Of course looking at it, you could say against it as a Knight can swing their blade exceptionally fast but all that really is is momentum. A Knight punching something is about the same as a standard Pawn or Bishop, nothing much at all really and a lot less than a Kick.

However, it doesn't really change the fact that a Knight's weakness is his advantage. Actually, it just worsens that weakness in all honesty but it is most definitely a surprising move.

Vaulting off from the upturned root, I allowed it to recede back into the ground as I landed back down alongside Yura breaking herself free from the tree looking a little worse for wear. I probably would have broke a rib or two if she hadn't blocked, probably would have broke clean through any other armour too. She is lucky that her master's sister is a siscon.

"I didn't expect you to be able to fight so well without a sword. Why don't we get down and dirty?"

Take that out of the current context and I would jump at that but here and against a Rook, not really but I guess I can humour her.

"Sure why not? As a Lesbian, I can't say no to such a tempting request. No matter the context."

An absurd thing to say but who cares really.

I then waited and allowed Yura to take the initiative in the fight so I could get something worthwhile out of it all before using my piece completely and taking her out. Her break into a run was slow, perhaps from the damage of impacting against a tree but it was easy to see. Her projection and path, it was easy to calculate.

Breaking into my own run, I ran towards Yura in an arc bowing out to the right. A single step before I moved into hitting range I saw Yura pull her fist back, anticipation and prediction lining. Flushing out the knight piece I boosted my speed and shot right past her and dropped it again as I skidded round behind her. Yura's body turned to face me quickly, a slight irk in her turn presumably from the impact earlier.

Watching her come at me again, I felt no need to be alert. She was going all out but only all out for a spar, she had no intention of pushing any particular boundary even after being slammed into the tree. It was pointless, made me feel like not bothering. It also held a feeling of indifference. Her movements made it feel like she didn't care at all about what she was about to punch or kick, just that she was going to. It was odd but not disconcerting.

Tilting my head to the side slightly I allowed her fist to rocket straight past the side of my face. The wind and power was there but the pressure was completely missing, not even a hint of it. The miss didn't phase her though as her body moved perfectly in response. Her right side dropped slightly and she pushed her left foot forwards while balling her left hand into a fist and retracting her right hand as she thrusted her left forward like a piston. And I let it hit me, her point of impact changed once she noticed it herself.

The punch that was originally aimed at my face ran south and grazed the top of my shoulder, the wind and new-found pressure caused me to sway backwards slightly with my shoulder in a rolling motion. I didn't bother to correct my balance and let gravity play its part to bring my body downwards.

Just before I reached the ground I planted my left foot straight down acting as an anchor, manipulating the wind around me to allow me to fully control my body I let my right leg hang loose and twisted to the left with my foot before doing the same with the top half of my body although this time harshly. Bringing my leg round to follow through, I kicked straight into Yura's side just under her ribs. The white plates smacking against her sides burning them in a split second before the force and momentum pushed through from me to her and once again flung her away from me, this time crashing into the side of the Old School building and breaking through the magically-reinforced woodwork.

"That's enough!"

Pulling my body straight back up to a standing position, I heard Sona's voice shout out a little too emotionless for what had just happened. Blinking once, I turned my head to the side and look straight at Rias and the rest of our peerage. Their stares were of amazement, everyone bar Koneko at least.

A Rook or not, her experience and level as a devil is well beneath mine. I'm glad my training has put me in such good stead so far.

"Aoi-chan, you won!"

You don't have to make it sound like there was a chance I wouldn't win. I've been training every single day, of course I'm gonna win against someone who doesn't at this level.

"Of course I did."

Though the fact that there wasn't intent for anything more than a spar was off-putting. It doesn't feel right, the win doesn't feel right even though I completely expected to win.

Turning to look at the hole in the wall, I saw Yura slowly walking out being supported by Tsubaki who was Sona's Queen. She looked a little disturbed, her eyes screwed up slightly when she noticed I was looking her way. I don't suppose that this will be the beginning of a rivalry will it?

Big-boobed tomboy 1 – Small-boobed tomboy 0

Suck it bitch.

* * *

**First of the two chapters for Halloween, however the second chapter isn't for this story.  
**

**Aoi now has a rival, and with her attitude it was definitely going to come.  
Overpowered? Definitely not. Superior Experience? Without a doubt.  
That answers why she won so easily plus the Holy radiation.**

**Keeping it short today.**

**Ciao~**


	6. Recruiting or Destroying

**Mind was completely blank the past few days.  
Ended up writing the chapter to the wrong story.**

**Enjoy..?**

* * *

Attending High School was much like Middle School, except with a rumour mill and a huge increase of bullshit, this school however had just transitioned from All-girls to Co-ed so the rumour mill was vast and fast, exactly what you'd expect from horde of hormonal females, the fact that they are teenagers doesn't even really matter on this front as I'm pretty sure the teachers have also had their input on these matters at some time or another.

The only thing I was a little out of touch with was the sheer speed of the rumours along with how touchy a hormonal woman is. While I should really fit in there, I can't. I lost the ability to be truly in touch with my hormones after my parents died. Pushing the sad stuff outta they way, the rumours were like a tsunami, quick and unforgiving but this was all for a beyond stupid reason. We three new students who were close to Rias and Akeno, who had earned a title which instantly send a shooting pain through my forehead.

Those kinda rumours you'd really expect to take a few days to get passed around, especially when it's the start to the year. But it all took a single damn day for it to be blown out of proportion by some hormone-controlled halfwits. I mean, the amount of innocent but idle questioning that came both mine and Koneko's way by 2nd years and 3rd years was so far beyond annoying that I became the quickest in the school history for getting a detention. It's safe to be said that the teachers were completely surprised by the fact that I retorted with a hard punch straight to his nose cleanly breaking it before even thinking to ask them to stop kindly. That can also be looked at to the reason behind why they hadn't changed to Co-ed in the hundred or so years that they had been open so far. It also resulted in being chastised by Sona Sitri who was the Student Council President, I vaguely remember Rias saying that, and in turn Rias as well.

Though my whole action in itself brought around a new rumour that I was severely short-tempered to which was just a rumour, I don't think I'm short tempered. I'm just not good with being asked the same question over and over again. But the fact it became a rumour so easily is probably because the guy I punched had quite a decent physique. Actually, I'm kinda surprised that all the guys had jumped onto the bandwagon so quickly. Probably the whole 'all guys are pervs' thing.

Perverts. Really, it was something that made up a decent portion of the school though that is primarily the boys. There is a few girls around that were perverts too, mainly the ones who followed Kiba round going after him like he was a piece of meat. There is also that rumoured second year who can see the size of dicks but that is pretty far-fetched.

…

"Aoi-chan, are you listening?"

"Something about making a pervert into a devil. Who and why, I don't care for."

I replied with a slight sigh, not even a week into the school year and she's looking into expanding. Power should really have limits to its designation.

"But I'm asking you to follow him."

"...I'll politely tell you to do it yourself. You want him, you do it."

Turning to finally look at Rias, my _master_, I catch the brief sight of the crown of Koneko's head in my vision. Taking note of her weight on my lap.

"As your King, I'm telling you to do it."

"As your Knight and only current path out of marrying Raiser Phoenix, I am declining."

"Even if this addition could reduce your burden?"

"Ho-oh isn't a burden."

To call myself rebellious doesn't really fit these days, I feel like I say no more because I want to relax more with all the constant training.

"You know I wasn't calling Ho-oh a burden. Aoi, can't you just listen for once?"

She finally says it huh? I wonder if she is saying that rhetorically or not.

"I just don't understand why you feel the need to drop this on me of all people when it should be obvious by now that I would say no. Outside of automatically saying no, I'm the busiest here with the amount of training I do, the stray hunts I'll be doing and then contracts as well. Add to that the fact I could never do much studying over the summer and winter through training most of the damn time, I'll have a harder time than Koneko dealing with the school's workload and the homework which comes with it. Do you just enjoy increasing my workload or is this some weird way of showing your faith in me?"

"...Aoi..."

It's seriously a damn pain. Kiba only does his damn contracts, Akeno only cooks and does contracts so give them something extra to do. Hell, Akeno is even the Queen give the potential peerage jobs to her to do. Let this grunt just idly do the heavy lifting.

"Ara ara, Is Aoi-chan getting stressed from school?"

"Stow it, hussy."

"Ufufu, would you like me to relieve your body from that stress?"

"Like I said before, Stow it. The only thing you could do is make it worse."

As of late, I feel like I'm becoming Akeno's personal Tsukkomi machine.

"Then … Koneko, can I rely on you to follow Hyoudou Issei?"

Just pawn it off on Koneko?! Heresy! Such a devilish act.

"...Hai."

"See Aoi, Koneko agrees to it straight away."

"Pretty sure that's to have you shut up about it."

A good strong quip, I feel it coulda been better though.

The room stayed pretty silent from there on, other than quiet murmurs between Rias and Akeno while they were doing some form of paperwork or Koneko's munching on whatever snacks she had procured throughout the day. The number of people coming up to her in a day just to pass off a snack is getting more by the day, as long as it keeps to just that then all will be good.

…

That first week was all it really took to have a solid ground in the school. Where most would use that week to gather a certain clique of people together or to join clubs and whatnot. We, Devils, used that week or more precisely the humans themselves used that week to elevate us above them. We became figures early on to them.

Kiba was their Prince, the lone male which was true to having no perversion with the girls. Koneko was their mascot, a cute girl who everyone loved. Then there was me, the 'Society-Designated' Chief. It seemed that my habit of getting physical at any and every school yard altercation made me fit for the Disciplinary Committee that only existed in their heads and so I became the Leader of that imaginary club.

That meant that the Occult Research Club contained the Onee-samas, Prince, Mascot and Chief.

While I don't like the fact I received the title of Chief, it's much better than some other possibilities that strange hormonal teens could come up with. Plus being called Chief sounds like they are all being sarcy with me. Chief is an important station so it's weird to have that position be said casually like it is here to me. And I was thus forced into taking it in my stride thanks to Rias and her strange nature thinking that something like this would be good for me, whatever she meant by that.

The time really just kinda ticked by, once school finished I got to relax for a few hours before being able to do my sprints around the school using my time before school to do other sorts of training and then waiting to hear on anything about strays or what have you. Seen as I wouldn't agree to keeping an eye on a kid who became a part of the school's Infamous Perverted Trio I was put on guard for the 3 or 4 Fallen Angels who had entered the area, that total being Rias' estimates and one that I refrained from correcting to 4 once I paid attention to the energy signatures in the area. One of them fluxed too much, I guess that's why Rias only named it a possibility. And wherever 2-Winged Fallen Angels go, numerous Rogue Priests go with them.

Come the 3rd Sunday of the school year and I decided to put some recon on the desecrated church which the Fallen and Rogues were taking as their new home while the pervert was supposedly on a date, apparently with a Fallen Angel according to Koneko's nose.

Crouching down atop a branch of a tree just on the outskirts of the church grounds, I cast my eyes on the church. No sign of the three remaining Fallen Angels but there are numerous Priests walking around the perimeter.

'Skittles, can you sense the other Fallen?'

_'Two. A male and a Female, the other is probably keeping an eye on the Fallen with the pervert.'_

'I see. Then should we take out their guards?'

_'That's not my domain Aoi, that's for the brat to decide.'_

Well, I do have to report on what I'm seeing here anyway. I might as well ask her at the same time.

[~Rias. I'm at the church. Numerous Priests out front, not sure on full total but only 2 Fallen Angels are here. I suspect that there is a Fallen watching over the Fallen that's taken Pawn on a date. Shall I attack? Weaken them perhaps?~]

_[~Stealthily. Only go inside if the church looks to be fully abandoned by the Angels and if there was no alert.~]_

[~Alright, I'll see what I can do.~]

So that means I can do what I want, I guess. Everyone has different interpretations of things after all.

Jumping down from the tree, I switch my uniform for my exorcist clothes. No matter what Rias says, these are always going to be most comfortable to fight in for me. Once I touch the ground, I stand up straight and slowly make my way to the edge of the dense part of the greenery.

'Skittles. Will you be able to mask me as a human?'

_'Of course, that is as long as you don't use demonic magic or the speed enhancement. Only use my blade if the Light blades and pistols won't cut it. That fake of a blade would probably create a resonating pulse giving us away so don't bother with that either.'_

'Sure thing. Bring up the façade.'

I could feel the ethereal mask being brought down, a soft sense of nostalgia ran over my body. Quick flashes of what it was to be a human ran through my mind. A time when things were quieter and simpler.

As I stepped out of the shrubbery, I summoned a single pistol to my left hand and one of the light blades to my right hand leaving the circuit on it cut so it was only a handle. Best to do it in flushes so it looks like a priest just playing about with it. Keeping my body low to the ground in a crouch, I slowly stalk up to the first priest. Looking around briefly, I push upwards in a quick burst and activate the sword swiping the now visible blade just above his shoulders tearing straight through his neck not letting him even utter a sound. Catching the body with my left hand, I dispersed the blade in my right and stumbled to the right to try and catch the falling head with my right foot. That didn't happen but at least I cushioned the fall enough not to have a thud once it touched the soil.

_'So much for honouring the dead Aoi.'_

'Shush you. I'm a devil.'

_'Not right now you ain't.'_

I couldn't help but sigh. So pedantic at times.

That thought made me sigh again. Those few lessons with Grayfia really put some weird words into my head. Who even uses pedantic and decorum now? Now I'm just outwardly unrefined, damn that maid.

Gently lowering the priest's body, I rest it against the wall to the church before turning back to the grounds and running straight back into the shrubbery. The sun was just about to set, I couldn't stalk around just yet. I can't even do that at night really that much, white kinda sticks out.

_'I only count 2 more priests on the grounds. The other 3 seem to have left. One went back into the church and the other two left the grounds altogether, presumably for food.'_

Gotta love that report.

_'Both Priests are inbound.'_

Oooh. Looking left and then right, I see both priests coming more this way.

I guess I'll have to use the pistols here. They aren't loud enough to create a disturbance enough to set those on the inside on edge but it would definitely stir something up with anyone who is still on the grounds. Exchanging the stock in my right hand for the spare pistol, I raised both hands up and directed the muzzle towards their own targets and followed them as performed their stroll.

One. Two. Three. **Bang Bang**.

_'We should listen to some music to remember these poor souls. Dead By April sounds good about now.'_

'Are you trying to make a joke as it's March right now or do you just wanna listen to Dead By April?'

_'Either or Aoi, I just like the band.'_

'Alright, I'll see if I can get custody of the speakers from Koneko so we don't have to listen to Rap anymore.'

_'Do it. Who knew that little kitty liked that sorta music. With how she is, Emo or Grunge seems more applicable.'_

'How do you even know these genres?'

_'I summon myself when you are asleep sometimes to listen to your collections.'_

I wonder if I should be happy or not about that?

Shaking my head roughly in realisation, I finally noticed that I didn't pay attention to the sound of the bodies dropping to the floor. Luckily there was no piles of leaves for them to fall into to make any proper kind of sound.

_[~Aoi, it seems like the Fallen is going by the name Amano Yuuma. With the sun about to set, I'm guessing she'll be striking soon. Make sure you are out before it turns dark.~]_

[~Right-o.~]

_'I guess it's time to go all SAS on this. You remember the stance?'_

'Course I do. Pistol in right hand, knife/blade in left. Cross wrists with Pistol wrist being on top.'

Switching the pistol in my left hand for the empty blade stock, I bring it across my body and slot my left wrist into place under my right wrist and break out from the surrounding shrubbery.

Moving at a slow pace, I walk towards the door of the old church. Resting against the door with my left shoulder I slowly push down on the handle with both of my hands. The large oak doors creak under the strain of being slowly pushed open. The rusting hinges screeched under the pressure alerting whoever was in the hall as a chorus of boots sound against the cold floor.

_'Kid, let's just go in heavy. Burst in with Paladin.'_

Paladin.

Breaking away from the door with a split second, I push harshly right back into the door again as the Paladin armour wraps itself around my lower legs, hands and neck. It's holy aura moving to coat my whole body in a white glow as I move into the hall of the church face to face with at least 20 Priests.

Tch. I'm gonna have to use the Knight Speed, perhaps they'll take the Holy energy as an Angel sent to get rid of them from a church.

"White Exorcist? There was only one made right?"

"Yeah Yeah, a top exorcist had it made. Pretty sure it was a Father though."

"Hmm...You mean Father Firebird?"

"The guy who had it made for his daughter?"

"Then she is...?!"

Ah … Otou-san was that well-known huh? Well, the Devil even heard of him specifically so I guess this is within reason too.

"Yo Greg, you know F.F. right? How old should his daughter be?"

"Uhh … 15 or 16. Looks about right too."

Yeah, now this really doesn't sound good. Once you go rogue, standard rules of thumb kinda fly right outta the window. You broke one rule, might as well break them all while you are at it. I guess that's what these guys go by.

**Bang Bang Bang**

A burst shot was fired somewhere in the room and I feel them strike against the white coating on my left thigh. Completely unable to break through the aura alone.

That works, they can only beat me in close combat or perhaps a hail of bullets. I could simply bound around and shoot them all but that's no fun.

_[~Aoi, leave now! They caught wind of you and finished up already.~]_

Hmm … not doing that just yet.

"Freed, what are you doing?!"

"Eh~? Does it matter? The weaker we make her, the more fun we can have~."

In a disgusting sense, I understand what he means.

Breaking forward, I flick the switch on the Light blade and its white hot energy blazes into life. Catching their undivided attention, I squeeze the trigger on the pistol in my right hand twice. All I can really bank on is their cohesion to save myself from a hail of bullets.

_'Aoi, we have spare Light Blades right?'_

'Yeah, I have three left at home after breaking one already.'

_'Putting your ability to break Light aside, we should overload this one and run. The other two Fallen are on their way back and I can sense the two here beginning to stir. One big ass Shakkoukan.'_

'So we are leaving then.'

_'You take that from it? Where is the excited anticipation on seeing a Shakkoukan at a grand scale?!'_

'Even though I have spares I don't want to just throw them away, even if it helps me escape.'

_'Hmm … Well the explosion won't hurt you so hunker down then steal a few on the way out?'_

'While that doesn't completely make me feel better, stealing from these guys does sound fun.'

Skidding to a slight stop, I twisted my wrist 45 degrees counter-clockwise pointing the Light towards the ground completely straight before slotting it down into the ground and letting go of the handle allowing white and gold sparks to emanate from it violently. I could feel my eyes widen as I hunkered down nearly a foot away from the handle as the all too familiar ball of incandescent light forms at the connection with the ground. Slight scorching of the ground, small wisps of smoke rise from the ground before the light flashes forcing me to close my eyes and that was when it happened.

A small but heavy sounding vibration before a- **BANG!**

The ball of light expanded and exploded, I couldn't feel the heat but I could feel the wind that was whipping itself up throughout the church hall. A whistle follows with the wind, I could hear the acknowledgement in the whistle.

_'Open eyes. Pilfer the Priests. Return to Base. Thank the brat for the spare dimension. Then report that we blew the church up.'_

'...Wait! Blew it up?'

Feeling the light on my eyelids dying down, I slowly opened my eyes to the destruction that we had made.

The pews had become piles of ash scattered across the hall. The windows shattered, fragments of the stained glass littered inside and out. The already crumbling wooden beams had collapsed and the roof was under the strain from their loss threatening to fall at any moment. Charred bodies lying around, shreds of burnt, once white cloth scattered around like a puzzle.

Not really having the time to admire it myself, I picked myself up from the ground and look for Light Blades that were still operable and pocketed them into the spare dimension.

"So … how big was the explosion?"

"_You want the real answer or a lie?"_

"So it was a huge explosion then."

"_You betcha ass it was. Putting it simply, there is a chance that we may have to erase some memories."_

Picking up all that were operable, I dismissed my sacred gear and switched back to the school uniform and jumped back up onto the tree that I used to watch over the area and then started to jump from branch to branch to get back to the old school building at Kuoh Academy.

_[~Aoi, what in Lucifer's name was that explosion?~]_

And so the King calls.

[~That it? No asking if I'm ok, it was an explosion of Holy energy you know. I may be resistant but not that resistant.~]

_[~You are injured?!~]_

[~No, not at all. Just for future reference. Anyway, me and Ho-oh found out an overpowered technique to beat Raiser with.~]

_[~You mean the explosion?~]_

[~What else would I mean?~]

_[~Just get back here now. I want to hear why you didn't return as soon as I told you to.~]_

Oh great … no thanks for reducing the enemy numbers, just a warning that I'm gonna get scolded. And she is meant to be a Gremory?

And so, the day my life would take a sour, more perverted turn was the day I found out that I could turn sword handles into bombs and in turn, exploding projectiles.

* * *

**Despite being out of sorts, i still feel like i got together a good chapter.**

**The full extent of the damage will be shown but of course, that is all in due time.  
Plus this kinda brings out more of what Aoi is like.  
She is typically quieter but when with people she knows, she opens up although it's not really that great.  
She is pretty sarcastic unless she really likes you, like Koneko for example.  
Aoi treats Koneko like gold. I mean who wouldn't treat Moe Goldness like gold?**

**My preferences aside, I'll get back to it all for next week and that harem list someone asked for.  
Harem = Koneko and Ravel. That's it for confirmed members. Sona and Serafall are both plausible, I'll work on them for next chapter.  
Whoever asked for Gabriel, that's impossible. Seraph of her level being lesbian or bi? Yeah ... no, i may be crazy but unlike some authors i won't flip it all.  
**

**Ciao~**


	7. Dragon Cycle Begin

**I'm back? **

**Edit: So tired and out of it, i uploaded wrong chapter. Well done me.**

* * *

We, the girls of the Occult Research Club, sat in wait for our newest member. That being said, none of that was true. The only two of us who were actually waiting for him were not sitting. Rias was showering which was something I was forced to get used to quickly and Akeno was busy making tea, even if she wasn't she would still be standing up with that weird and creepy smile she always wears. It's a pretty ominous sight, i'm just lucky I haven't been caught up in any of her … ropes so far.

Koneko and myself, the two actually sitting down, were just going about like normal. Koneko was eating an abundance of sweets, passing one over to me every now and again. Felt like it was a ratio of 8 to 1 in Koneko's favour but it was still much better that for anyone else, so I take some solace in that. Skittles though, he was busy practicing his whistling. Something about perverts and paranoia, I didn't really catch the whole thing.

My attention only really came to the room properly when I heard Koneko speak to someone else in the room with an exceptionally cold tone.

"...What a lecherous face."

Following her line of sight, I looked straight at the brown-haired boy who wore a slightly hurt expression and one which contorted slightly further when my somewhat tired look landed on him. Koneko had said before that my tired expression was somewhat like a glare.

My expression though stayed, I wasn't really interested in a new member and that would have applied to an extremely attractive woman right now. I couldn't be bothered with listening so I settled for barely staying awake while watching what was going on, my inability to read lips not really in use.

The boy, name still unknown to me, had quite the array of expressions to wear. Almost the opposite to Koneko. While she was very skilled in the art of stoic and moe, this kid was skilled in being surprised at absolutely everything. It was almost comical, I probably would have laughed outright everytime if I wasn't busy being half-asleep. That said, it's not like I wasn't interested in this new addition to the group. I mean, under the pretenses of training the new recruit I can have a human-sized meatbag to beat on.

Lo and behold though, the pervert nearly got himself killed the very next day. Reason being he didn't have enough magic to even teleport anywhere so he had to go by bike. When Rias told us, I was conflicted at whether I should just laugh at his lack of luck or pity him. He was subpar in absolutely everything yet he cost 8 pawns, it went without saying that his Sacred Gear was a longinus but a Longinus didn't manifest. A Twice Critical did. The most basic of basic Sacred Gears that doubles it's possessors stats and Issei would only cost 1 Pawn, heck from the looks of things even with then doubling his parameters might have stayed within the 1 Pawn cost. That led to the question why did he cost so much for just a Twice Critical. The only I had was one from Ho-oh.

_'Currently his body is too weak to even manifest the base form of the Boosted Gear. The longinus which can double every 10 seconds. Seen as they both double, it goes within reason that it would manifest as a simple Twice Critical.'_

Strangely enough, Ho-oh continued on but it wasn't to the new kid's future developments.

_'Twice Critical isn't something to scoff at though. In a human's hands it's awful but give it to a supernatural being? It's quite the item.'_

His point was a sound one. As a Knight, having my parameters doubled would be great. Still though, i'd prefer my current Sacred Gear anyday.

The second week though was when things started to be set into motion.

…

The sound of a slap rippled throughout the old wooden building. It wasn't really a strong or hard slap but one that had relevant meaning, still i'd have punched instead. That was what I thought, maybe even hoped it was but it turned out to just be Rias dropping an open palm down onto her desk in exasperation at what the Pawn had gotten up to that very day. I did learn that his family name was Hyoudou, anything past that is beyond me. It also looks like the girls around school don't know his name either and just refer to him as 'Beast'. Doubt that could be taken into a good stead with how pathetic his body is.

"Don't ever get close to the church again."

"But Buchou, it was ruined."

I noticed Rias and then Hyoudou turn to me at that point, it would seem that they were talking about the church that I had just so happened to destroy. I could only yawn in response to their gazes, I was tired after all. Studying is the bane of any student's existence.

"To us Devils, the Church is an enemy's territory. Just stepping into it can cause a rift between the Devils and God. Since it was an act of kindness by taking the nun to the church, they didn't harm you, but the Angels are always on the lookout. You were in a situation where it wouldn't be strange for them to hit you with a spear of light."

I wonder why I never got told that. Is it because i'm that strong or because I wouldn't have listened?

At this point though, the topic was cut short when Akeno entered the room.

"Ara ara, did you finish lecturing him?"

"Akeno, did something happen?"

A sickly sweet smile comes to her expression, a sight i'm never going to get used to.

"We have received two orders for a hunt from the Arch Duke."

Two orders at once? One must be strictly mine then.

…

This order was more of a collaboration effort in the terms of the stray devils. It was exceptionally rare but these Strays were working together to get what they wanted. And from what the order stated, it was a single D-class coupled with a single A-class. Kinda weird in that way because the D-class would be the bodyguard. Even the Strays know of these ranks so for this wide a gap to be together is just plain odd.

I followed the others at a slow pace. I could guess already that I was forced along because it was to be an exhibition of skill to the new recruit to learn how we all fight. Knowing that my fight will be coming later and will be an annoyingly observed one, I decided to keep to the back and just relax, ready myself and to not let my anticipation get the better of me. Since returning to the human realm, this would be my first A-class hunt as the strongest i've fought so far is a B-class. With the A-class being at least 10x stronger, I knew I was going to be in for something good and dangerous.

I had though already changed into my exorcist battle outfit with a handle to a Light Sword clipped onto the inside of my Blastia bracelets. Thinking about it, I was as much an outcast as the Hyoudou kid was in these regards although it's hard to say right now with whats known who'd be favoured over who. I don't use demonic powers over than for teleporting from place to place. Mainly because it's easier and more sufficient to use my non-demonic powers but still, i'm a Holy Devil or perhaps a Light Devil might be more appropriate as i'm not a Christian now and nor was I before becoming a devil.

While onlooking, I quickly found myself annoyed. There wasn't any play in their dealing with the Stray. I know that it's something serious and to take the out quickly is the most ideal course of action but this was literally to show the new kid how we fight. That means a kind of play so they could show what they do. A single hit from Kiba and Koneko each, then the typical sadist actions of Akeno doesn't really do much. Of course it'll intrigue him and show the differences between humans and devils but it really teaches him absolutely nothing. I'm not going to go out of my way to fill in the gaps for him because it isn't my job to do so, and I wouldn't even bother to.

Putting it all plainly, it was boring but more than sufficient for a newby to see how Devils fight.

…

As I take my first step down onto the bottom floor of this deserted building, the sound of flapping behind me hits my ears. While I really wanted to complain about it, I decided not to waste my time and just allow it. I didn't even look at Rias long enough to potentially see how stubborn she could be on the subject, just a sweeping gaze and I didn't feel like arguing about it.

Slowly walking through the halls keeping an eye out for the stray devil, my mind lingered onto the fact that I was able to bypass something. The Phoenix Blade. I didn't really need to use two hands for it, that point only able to be taken advantage of because as a devil I was strong enough to freely wield the long Katana styled blade in a single hand. It then allowed me to hold a single pistol in my free hand, my left hand.

In my right hand was the Phoenix Blade. The curved, circular hilt acts as a guard for the grip as it flairs out slightly and covers a small portion of the curved blade itself. 2 Rainbow feathered wings adorned the hilt on either face of the blade. The grip itself contained the 7 colours of the rainbow in single strips, with a feather attached to the pommel by a tiny chain. The edge of the steel blade was lit up in a bright orange at the searing heat of the blade itself, a fact that you would only learn about upon contact with it.

The power of the sword was mute. Until it actually cut into someone or its user used it for better control over fire or wind, it was basically a beautifully stylized Katana.

Turning a corner, I came to a wider hallway with an open doorway right at the end of it. Light pouring out from the room ahead, white flashes from computer screens. A single silhouette. With each passing step, the sound of typing grew ever louder in my ears.

_'It's sensed us.'_

I felt my body being pulled backwards, allowing Ho-oh to do so I see a large broadsword being smashed down into the ground in front of me.

I felt my eyes widen as I looked to the man that was pulling out the mystery weapon. He was huge and towered over me like he was a bear standing on it's hind legs. Over his left hand and forearm was a very thick looking gauntlet. But what was in his right hand was the problem that caused my eyes to widen. It wasn't a broadsword … well, two fourths of it was a broadsword. It was an over-sized broadsword then right at the tip it split off left and right taking the shape and length of the blade of a scythe before then curving downwards at it's own tip into an axe head.

_'Oooh, Isn't this one a doozy.'_

Letting out a small groan, I jumped back as I did so dodging another strike of the strange weapon.

_'Let's call it a Scaxerd. Scythe-Axe-Sword.'_

'Sure, why not.'

I jumped back again a couple of seconds later narrowly dodging the weapon again. The report didn't mention anything about what piece it was, but it did mention that it was a servant so I guess this stray killed everything around him before straying … decimating may be more accurate with that abomination of a weapon in it's grip.

Jumping back once again, I felt the vibrations that were sent through the ground once I landed. They were substantial and felt like they were capable of transferring far but this wasn't their strongest. I guess this one would have to be a Rook, or was a Rook at least.

With this information in mind, I forced the pistol in my left hand to disappear and summoned my Sacred Gear in it's Paladin form as I waited for it to swing at me again. Jumping back for the last time, I turn and take off down the hallway at a slow run to gauge the Rook's speed to see if I need to use my Knight Speed.

[~Oi Rias, you guys need to back off from that room. I can't beat a Rook this large in such a narrow corridor.~]

_[~Be careful Aoi.~]_

Once breaking out back onto the ground floor, all I could see was the scattering of blood both fresh and dried. If I was to sense though, I would be able to take note of Rias and the others watching but that would be simply because i'm apart of the peerage and not because I have good sensing skills which I don't really have just yet.

With the Stray coming out too, I could take note that he was actually slouching beforehand and he was now standing at his full height which was most definitely more than double my own height with a body that rippled with muscles. It wasn't a very pleasant thing to look at really.

…

"Ise-kun, do you now see what Stray Devils can look like?"

"H-hai Buchou but is Aoi-chan ok alone?"

As they watched from a balcony on an upper floor, Koneko simply let out a small scoff before returning to eating whatever snack she had decided to bring along with her this time.

"It may not make sense right now but she is the Strongest. She is weak under the view of the average eye but she runs under the gaze of another eye. I said before that a Knight's weapon is a Sword and their Speed, right?"

"Hai."

"Aoi-chan doesn't see it that way. To her, a Knight's weapon is their legs."

"Huh?"

After seeing a Knight move and fight, anyone would normally be confused as to why Aoi thought of their main power being simply their legs.

"It's the way Aoi looks at things. Look at Yuuto for example, he is the epitome of a knight. Fast, good with a sword and chivalrous. To Aoi, that way of combat isn't a Knight, not a Devil Knight anyway. To her chivalry is problematic and unneeded. She makes use of her feet much like a Rook would and that is why she is considered weak despite being much stronger than Yuuto. Aoi simply sees being a Knight as a double-edged sword. Damage a knight's legs and you severely weaken them. Using her legs as a weapon only increases the chances of her weakness being exploited."

"So how is she so much stronger?"

"That's simple. It's the surprise factor. How many people do you think would intentionally use their weakness as one of their main fighting force?"

Hyoudou Issei just wore a look of stupor at Rias' question.

"However, there is a lot more than just her surprise factor. There is that Blade of hers and her Sacred Gear. Even without them, with the mentality that she has and as long as she has a decent sword in hand then she'd still be the strongest but more cautious."

"B-Buchou?"

"Ise-kun, watch her. You'll learn better just by watching her, because after all even Onii-sama said she is the epitome of a Devil Knight."

**Kuhshuuuuh**

The sound of blazing steel ricocheting off of solid steel echoed through the room as Aoi's body glided slightly through the air, using her own counter to move across the field by utilizing her opponent vastly superior strength. Her foots skidding along the creaky wooden floor with an empty clunk sound.

Turning her body side on, Aoi materialized both of her light pistols into her left hand while bringing the Phoenix blade in her right hand upwards and slotting it into the wall and allowing it to set the wall ablaze for a split second before it then collected and consumed Aoi before completing it's travel over to the two pistols which fired the instant the fire was only over them. With a crackle, the new flaming bullets of light surged forth from the gun and towards the hulking Rook.

Both bullets hit the hulking Rook deadon between the eyes setting his face ablaze but it did no more than further irritate the Stray Devil who hadn't even taking to speaking his detestment to his opponent.

With a small click of her tongue in her own irritation, Aoi wretched her sword free from the wall as her opponent roared. Aoi's eyes looking down to the sword for almost a second before her lip curled up slightly in thought before turning to a small smile that looked to hold a portion of pain in it.

Dropping the two pistols in her hand, she surged forwards while her body slowly set itself alight with the flames that the sword in her hand was producing. The dull thud of her pistols hitting the ground ran in conjunction to the roar of the Rook, both disappearing after finishing.

Darting in, Aoi hunched down slightly just before the Rook before she begun to rise up again, twisting her body in motion while forcing her left hand out which now had a completely steel plate over it. Her left hand hit the incoming broadsword and took a hold of it but not without taking the momentum and pushing her sideways and still holding onto the blade itself. However that was a problem in itself as the curved blade of the scythe section allowed it to curve round behind her body and then the axe-like portion allowed it to slice through the rear of her upper arm and shoulder before stopping with the tip of the blade poking out from her front, narrowly missing her chest.

With a cough and splatter of blood, Aoi siezed her almost suicidal chance and used the remaining of her energy to spur her body into one last motion, twisting her right arm as she did so to send wisps flying from her blade as the searing hot blade pierced into the muscle-clad chest of the Rook causing it to roar once again, only this time in pain as the blade cut through it's body armour and muscle like butter. Thanks to the length of the Phoenix blade itself and Aoi's reach, the blade seared through the Rook's ribcage before piercing the left lung and finally landing the killing blow of piercing straight through it's heart.

And then the flames from the blade took over as they started to eat and ravage the Rook's body from around Aoi. The heat of the flames rising and rising so it could take the wretched blade away along with cauterizing the wound on it's master's body.

"See Ise-kun? That's how the strongest fighter in this group fights. She tried a long-range attack and seeing it failed, she made her preperations for trying the more dangerous up-close attack."

"But she nearly died Buchou!"

"I know and how she works angers me, Ise-kun, believe me it does. Though, as Aoi-chan claims, it's why she is stronger than us. She isn't afraid to be hurt and she then emphasized this part 'Mentally or Physically'."

The pained expressions of onlookings friends were on each face of Aoi's peers however when she turned to look at them all, she raised a single eyebrow before a burning smell started to rise and small billows of smoke started to make their way from her wounds.

Clenching his fist, in and out, a small smirk arose on her features.

"So we finally got it, Skittles. Just a little more to go, huh."

* * *

**And that's a wrap~!  
**

**I'm back with a chapter, nearly 3 months later form my 15 day project.  
Yeah well about that, i'm not gonna explain everything because it isn't really the place too.  
Basically, during the first week of January i got news that there was a family problem. Overseas.  
So i've spent the good portion of January over there so no ability to write, though some people do know that i've stayed in contact.  
Then through February, it's been hard for me emotionally plus having to get back into work. I've had no real drive to do much else.  
Come March and i started trying to write again, it's been kinda sluggish all in all.**

**I'll be making another note of that up to my profile but anyway, i'm somewhat back in the groove so hopefully my updates will be starting up again.**

**Sorry for the long time away.  
Ciao~**


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